Lung cancer mortality and radon exposure in Russia

The association between the lung cancer and indoor radon exposure in Russian population was investigated. The average indoor radon concentration for each region was estimated using the annual reports issued by the Saint-Petersburg Ramzaev Research Institute of Radiation Hygiene for the period 2008–2013. The average standardized lung cancer mortalities among males and females were estimated using the reports of the Moscow Hertzen Cancer Research Institute for the period 2008–2012. The relative risk (RR) was estimated as a ratio between the average mortality within seven exposure intervals and background mortality. The slope factors of linear dependence between the indoor radon exposure and lung cancer RR are 0.026 (−0.11÷0.17) and 0.83 (0.52–1.12) per radon concentration 100 Bq/m3 for males and females, respectively (with 90% confidence interval). The obtained results can be explained by the confounding effect of tobacco smoking. Significant excess risk of lung cancer in female population can be associated with radon exposure and low prevalence of smoking

Problems in radon measurements in context of epidemiological studies

Epidemiological case control study is considered to be primary instrument to investigate the relationship between population indoor radon exposure and risk of lung cancer. A number of such studies had been completed in last 15 years and others are running now. Considering indoor radon and progeny some specific efforts should be undertaken to assess the exposure. While the lungs exposure after inhalation arises mainly due to radon progeny, in the case of the radon gas measurements application the researchers have to address the disequilibrium between radon and radon progeny. It is widely accepted by researchers and approved by ICRP that worldwide average value of equilibrium factor is 0.4 though real equilibrium factor value can deviate significantly from average. Temporal variation of indoor radon concentration complicates the evaluation of exposure as well. Three types of variation can be emphasized: diurnal, seasonal and long time. Experimental and modeling investigation of radon entry shown that pattern of indoor radon temporal variation firmly depends on relationship between entry rates of primary radon sources (diffusive and advective) and influencing factors are construction characteristics, climatic condition and life style. To find appropriate parameters describing radon disequilibrium and temporal variation it is necessary to perform special investigation in the representative sample of houses

Measurement strategy to study radon source, entry and dilution rates in energy-efficient buildings in Russia

Main physical quantities, which control indoor radon in modern energy-efficient buildings of Russia was studied basing on the results of radon survey in Ekaterinburg, Russia. It was approved that measures to increase energy efficiency lead to reduction in the ventilation rate and high accumulation of radon concentrations indoors. Long-term measurements with application of proposed mathematical methods give an improved understanding of the radon entry processes. Combined use of integrative and time series (differential) measurements provides effective way to develop standard protocol for radon measurements in energy-efficient multi-storey buildings

Combined analysis of onco-epidemiological studies of the relationship between lung cancer and indoor radon exposure

Objectives: Recent results of epidemiological and medical statistics studies of lung cancer and indoor radon in different regions of the world make a relevant new combined analysis of residential exposure health effects. In particular, new data were obtained by means of a meta-analysis of case-control studies as well as taking into account a confounding effect of human papillomavirus infection in studies of geographically aggregated data. Materials and methods: Two sources of epidemiological data are considered: (1) studies of ecological design and (2) case-control studies. Ecological studies included the analysis performed for the USA counties and Russian oblasts with adjusting for the main confounders. Data on the case-control studies were gained from the meta-analysis of 31 individual studies with a weighting of obtained odds ratios according to the quality of radon exposure reconstruction and size of the reference group. Estimations of lung cancer excess relative risk (ERR) associated with indoor radon exposure are combined. Results: Two types of epidemiological study design provided generally consistent EER estimations. The combined value of ERR due to radon exposure is 0.14 (90% CI: 0.10–0.18) per 100 Bq/m3 . Conclusion: Available geographically aggregated data in regions of Russia and the United States and the meta-analysis of case-control studies conducted in a large number of countries confirm the association of lung cancer with indoor radon exposure

Seasonal Variation of Radon Concentrations in Russian Residential High-Rise Buildings

Assessment of the annual radon concentration is often required in indoor radon surveys of territories and individual dwellings for comparison with reference levels, studying factors affecting radon accumulation in dwellings, assessment of exposure in epidemiological studies, etc. The indoor radon surveys were carried out in multistorey buildings in eight Russian cities using solid state nuclear track detectors with an exposure period of three months. For these surveys, the estimation of annual indoor radon concentration was required to compare radon levels in buildings of high- and low-energy-efficiency classes located in different cities. To develop approaches to seasonal normalization in high-rise buildings, long-term one-hour radon concentration series obtained applying radon-monitors in 20 flats were analyzed. The dependency of indoor radon concentration on the indoor–outdoor temperature difference was studied taking into account the known natural, technogenic and anthropogenic factors affecting radon levels. The developed model of seasonal variations in multistorey buildings includes winter, summer, and demi-season periods, which differ both in ventilation intensity and dependency of radon concentration on the temperature difference. The developed model allows to estimate annual radon concentration taking into account the actual distribution of outdoor temperatures during the exposure of the track detectors

A Landscape Study of Sediment Formation and Transport in the Urban Environment

Background: Sediment deposition in the urban environment affects aesthetic, economic, and other aspects of city life, and through re-suspension of dust, may pose serious risks to human health. Proper environmental management requires further understanding of natural and anthropogenic factors influencing the sedimentation processes in urbanized catchments. To fill the gaps in the knowledge about the relationship between the urban landscape and sedimentation, field landscape surveys were conducted in the residential areas of the Russian cities of Ekaterinburg, Nizhniy Novgorod, Rostov-on-Don, Tyumen, Chelyabinsk, and Murmansk. Methods: In each city, six elementary urban residential landscapes were chosen in blocks of multi-story apartment buildings typical for Russian cities. The method of landscape survey involved delineating functional segments within the elementary landscapes and describing each segment according to the developed procedure during a field survey. Results: The complexity of sedimentation processes in the urban environment was demonstrated. The following main groups of factors have significant impacts on sediment formation and transport in residential areas in Russian cities: low adaptation of infrastructure to a high density of automobiles, poor municipal services, and bad urban environmental management in the course of construction and earthworks. Conclusion: A high sediment formation potential was found for a considerable portion of residential areas

A comparison of human exposure to natural radiation and DU in parts of the Balkan region

The paper presents the field results from six selected rural communities in the Southeast (Kalna), South (Niska Banja, Gornja Stubla, Borovac) and West (Uzice, Han Pijesak) parts of the Balkan region, where general population exposures to unmodified and technologically enhanced natural radioactive material (TENORM), including ammunition containing depleted uranium (DU) or reprocessed DU as well as indoor high radon, have been investigated. Since the only definitive evidence of DU contamination in soil samples could tell the disruption of the natural isotopic abundance of U-238 and U-235, it is important to distinguish between different sources of radiation burden to the population involved. The results of this work confirm that there is a constant need for developing comprehensive information about the spatial distribution of exposures in an adequately fine geographical grid, and for the accumulative dose estimation up to the present that clearly presented the uncertainty ranges and probability distribution of the estimated individual and population doses. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.6th International Conference on High Levels of Natural Radiation and Radon Areas, Sep 06-10, 2004, Kinki Univ, Osaka, Japa

A Landscape Study of Sediment Formation and Transport in the Urban Environment

Background: Sediment deposition in the urban environment affects aesthetic, economic, and other aspects of city life, and through re-suspension of dust, may pose serious risks to human health. Proper environmental management requires further understanding of natural and anthropogenic factors influencing the sedimentation processes in urbanized catchments. To fill the gaps in the knowledge about the relationship between the urban landscape and sedimentation, field landscape surveys were conducted in the residential areas of the Russian cities of Ekaterinburg, Nizhniy Novgorod, Rostov-on-Don, Tyumen, Chelyabinsk, and Murmansk. Methods: In each city, six elementary urban residential landscapes were chosen in blocks of multi-story apartment buildings typical for Russian cities. The method of landscape survey involved delineating functional segments within the elementary landscapes and describing each segment according to the developed procedure during a field survey. Results: The complexity of sedimentation processes in the urban environment was demonstrated. The following main groups of factors have significant impacts on sediment formation and transport in residential areas in Russian cities: low adaptation of infrastructure to a high density of automobiles, poor municipal services, and bad urban environmental management in the course of construction and earthworks. Conclusion: A high sediment formation potential was found for a considerable portion of residential areas

Strontium biokinetic model for mouse-like rodent

a b s t r a c t Model describing the biokinetics of strontium for murine rodent is suggested. The model represents modification of the ICRP model for reference human with reduced number of compartments: Blood, Gastrointestinal tract, Soft tissues, Skeleton, Urinary bladder. To estimate transfer rates of the model the published experimental data on strontium retention in body of laboratory and wild mice were analyzed. A set of eleven transfer rates suggested for the strontium biokinetic model for murine rodent satisfactorily describes both the laboratory experiments (relative standard error of 9.5%) and data on radiostrontium content available for wild animals. Application of the model allows estimation of strontium distribution by organs and tissues both in the cases of acute and chronic exposure with assessment of strontium activity in organs with time since beginning of exposure. The developed strontium biokinetic model will be used for internal dose assessment for murine rodents inhabiting East-Ural Radioactive Trace, where 90 Sr intake is a significant source of contemporary internal exposure