Radon is an odorless, colorless, radioactive gas formed by the decay of naturally-occurring radium-226, itself a decay product of uranium and thorium. Radon is found in ores and rocks and can be released to any surrounding air. There it can result in both occupational (mainly in underground mining) and environmental (mainly in the home) exposures. Radon exposure increases risk of lung cancer.
Radon can enter residences and accumulate indoors in geographic zones where it is present. This dataset is based on measurements of indoor residential radon concentrations made by researchers at UBC and the BC Centre for Disease Control between 1991 and 1995. All measurements were made during the heating season between October and April for a period of 90 to 120 days. They were made in single family dwellings. The data were collected as one of the first provincial radon surveys. The survey oversampled in areas of the province with high background radiation to help identify regional hotspots. Sampling was conducted by volunteers recruited through door-to-door campaigns.
Measurement Method
- Alpha-Trak long-term radon monitors placed near breathing level for a period of 90 to 120 days during the heating season. Radon concentrations are generally higher during the heating season because residences are less ventilated and because the warm indoor air creates a pressure differential/vacuum against the cold outdoor soil.
- There is no universal limit of detection for Alpha-Trak monitors, but concentrations less than 15 Becquerels (radioactive decays per second) per cubic meter (Bq/m3) are considered unreliable.
- The current Health Canada guideline suggests that residences with radon concentrations greater than 200 Bq/m3 should be remediated.
Original Variables
- UID: Unique identifier for the sampled single family dwelling
- Community: British Columbia town or city in which the dwelling was located. In many cases the dwelling was not in the central business district, but rather in the suburbs or outlying areas (categorical)
- MainRadon: Radon concentration in Bq/m3 for the main level in the residence (continuous)
- Location: The physical location of the sampler on the main level of the residence, as reported by resident (categorical: bedroom; kitchen; laundry room; recreation room; crawl space; utility room; or other)
- Foundation: Type of foundation on which the residence was built, as reported by investigator (dichotomous: poured concrete basement or other (either concrete slab or dirt crawl space))
- Soil: Predominant type of the soil underlying the residence as assessed using a geographic information system (dichotomous: loam or clay)
- LowerWindow: Indicator of whether any window on the lower level of the residence was routinely left open for ventilation purposes, as reported by resident (binary: yes or no)
- Separation: Indicator of whether there was a door routinely closed between the basement and main level of the residence, as reported by resident (binary: door or no door)
- Heating: Type of heating used in the residence, as reported by investigator (categorical: forced air; hot water; electric; or other)
- AC: Indicator of whether or not the residence had central air conditioning, as reported by investigator (binary: yes or no)
- Age1990: Age of the residence at the time of sampling in years (continuous)
- RockType: Dominant type of rock underlying the home as assessed using a geographic information system (categorical: metamorphic; plutonic; sedimentary; or volcanic)
- Potential: Estimated radon potential of the geologic unit according to the Radon Potential Map of British Columbia (ordinal: low; moderate; or high)
Codes
- NA: this data point is missing
- < LOD: this measurement is less than the limit of detection, i.e. <15.0 Bq/m3
