Jumat, 01 Mei 2015

Radon: Dangerous And Waterborne

By Herald Camping


Starting all the way back in 1983, radon has gotten a lot of press for being dangerous for you health. The general premise was that radon can creep out of the earth's outer layer and into the bottom of your home, spreading into your air--becoming airborne, and posing a significant risk to you and your loved ones. It can get serious when not testing and 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?

Much like its airborne counterpart, waterborne radon's first step in rising happens deep in the bowels of the earth. Because many peoples water comes from underground wells, aquifers, or groundwater sources, much of the drinking water in America is at risk for this danger. Once radon has taken hold in a water source, it is unlikely to emerge from any natural process.

Once water has been pumped into the house, the radon held within it can escape into the air without warning, and this can lead to all the same sorts of issues that airborne radon can in the first place. Certain activities are particularly efficient at dispersing waterborne radon, and these include showering, washing dishes, and washing clothes. The EPA has estimated that somewhere between two and five percent of household airborne radon made its way into the household through the tap. The media hasn't picked up the dangers of waterborne radon, but the EPA has continually stressed the dangers of leaving high levels of radon unattended.

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.

In order to get rid of this radon, should it exist, consumers have a few options. The basic process is called "aeration" and it takes most of the radon out of water softener before it makes it into the house and becomes airborne.

Home aeration systems expose incoming water to an air filled tray that gives all the radon a chance to bounce out of the water supply before it enters the house.

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.




About the Author:



Tidak ada komentar:

Posting Komentar