Ever since 1983, radon has been a very public, very dangerous problem. Radon leaches out of the earths crust and seeps into the basements and cellars of households and buildings all over the world, and can cause serious health problems if not kept in check.
The public health scare and subsequent media outrage largely focused on airborne radon. Airborne radon can seriously cause health issues, don't get me wrong, but waterborne radon has been long overlooked, and is a completely understated threat. Now that many are testing their water and see considerable levels of radon in it, the question is asked: How can we reduce radon levels in our drinking water?
Radon first enters the water stream deep underground. There are a couple ways this can happen, but any system in which water is pumped out of the ground and into water towers or reservoirs can be a culprit. Once radon has made its way into water, it is hard to get out, and will never just leave the water though any natural process.
Radon in the water can find its way out and into the air at any moment, so having built up radon coming in through the tap can be harmful in all sorts of ways. During showering, dish washing, and laundry washing radon can sneak out of the water used in these activities. The EPA has suggested in studies that anywhere from 2% to 5% of household airborne radon came in through the water supply. Although waterborne radon has seen little press, the EPA has published that anywhere past 4 pCi/L of radon in water is considered dangerous, and should be addressed within the soonest possible convenience.
Several elements such as radon are radioactive, and this means that at any moment (once in a half life, actually) the particle will bust open, spewing radioactive particles into their surroundings. Realizing the difficulties of testing requires an elementary knowledge of the atomic structure and alpha and beta radiation, but for our purposes, it suffice it to say that radiation is easier detected in air then it is in water. The best way to test for radon is to get a sample of the water in question and rush it to a lab. This lab can run several kinds of probing tests on the sample, and in order to get good readings, they need to do this before the radon decays any further.
If radon is found to be present, the best way to get rid of it is aeration.
Home aeration units simply expose the water coming into the house to enough air to sufficiently vet out all the radon particles before they enter the house. Using current water softener technology these units are inexpensive and can remove up to 99.9% of radon from a source.
Spray aeration units mist incoming water into a large tank that allows radon to escape into the air. This contaminated air is then blown out from a vent while the clean water is sent on through a pump that restores water pressure.
Packed column systems run the water though a kind of tubing that is semipermeable to air. An air compressor blows highly pressurized air into the column, forcing its way into the pockets of water, and picking up a lot of the radon along the way. After this happens, they air can be removed, and the water can continue onto the house.
All methods of radon filtration work, and they can all decrease the likelihood of radon related health problems. If you know you have high radon levels in you home, act before you put your loved ones at risk.
The public health scare and subsequent media outrage largely focused on airborne radon. Airborne radon can seriously cause health issues, don't get me wrong, but waterborne radon has been long overlooked, and is a completely understated threat. Now that many are testing their water and see considerable levels of radon in it, the question is asked: How can we reduce radon levels in our drinking water?
Radon first enters the water stream deep underground. There are a couple ways this can happen, but any system in which water is pumped out of the ground and into water towers or reservoirs can be a culprit. Once radon has made its way into water, it is hard to get out, and will never just leave the water though any natural process.
Radon in the water can find its way out and into the air at any moment, so having built up radon coming in through the tap can be harmful in all sorts of ways. During showering, dish washing, and laundry washing radon can sneak out of the water used in these activities. The EPA has suggested in studies that anywhere from 2% to 5% of household airborne radon came in through the water supply. Although waterborne radon has seen little press, the EPA has published that anywhere past 4 pCi/L of radon in water is considered dangerous, and should be addressed within the soonest possible convenience.
Several elements such as radon are radioactive, and this means that at any moment (once in a half life, actually) the particle will bust open, spewing radioactive particles into their surroundings. Realizing the difficulties of testing requires an elementary knowledge of the atomic structure and alpha and beta radiation, but for our purposes, it suffice it to say that radiation is easier detected in air then it is in water. The best way to test for radon is to get a sample of the water in question and rush it to a lab. This lab can run several kinds of probing tests on the sample, and in order to get good readings, they need to do this before the radon decays any further.
If radon is found to be present, the best way to get rid of it is aeration.
Home aeration units simply expose the water coming into the house to enough air to sufficiently vet out all the radon particles before they enter the house. Using current water softener technology these units are inexpensive and can remove up to 99.9% of radon from a source.
Spray aeration units mist incoming water into a large tank that allows radon to escape into the air. This contaminated air is then blown out from a vent while the clean water is sent on through a pump that restores water pressure.
Packed column systems run the water though a kind of tubing that is semipermeable to air. An air compressor blows highly pressurized air into the column, forcing its way into the pockets of water, and picking up a lot of the radon along the way. After this happens, they air can be removed, and the water can continue onto the house.
All methods of radon filtration work, and they can all decrease the likelihood of radon related health problems. If you know you have high radon levels in you home, act before you put your loved ones at risk.
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