Radon, Concrete, Buildings and Human Health—A Review Study

A comprehensive evaluation of the results obtained according to the measurement of

radon gas in buildings and concrete, which is the most consumed material in the world after water,

in accessible studies carried out in the last 40 years is the main objective of this study. The paper

additionally aims to address the gap in the literature by comparatively determining which parameters

affect radon–concrete and radon–building relationships. The scientific knowledge compiled within

the scope of this article was presented under the main headings of radon and radon gas measurements

in concrete and buildings. Radon gas, also known as the “invisible killer”, is considered the second

most important cause of lung cancer after smoking (the gas is responsible for 3–14% of lung cancer

cases in the world). The results determined that radon concentration limits have been applied in the

range of 100–400 Bqm−3 in houses and 100–3700 Bqm−3 in workplaces. Studies conducted on the

exhalation rate of radon showed that the radon exhalation rate of concrete may be in the range of

0.23–510 Bqm−2 h−1. The results of indoor radon concentration measurements revealed that values

between 4.6 Bqm−3 and 583 Bqm−3 were obtained. Despite the existing literature, some researchers

state that there is an urgent need for an improved and widely accepted protocol based on reliable

measurement techniques to standardize measurements of the radon exhalation rate of construction

materials and the indoor radon concentration of buildings.