Modeling of lung cancer risk due to radon exhalation of granite stone in dwelling houses.

AIMS: Due to increasing occurrences of lung cancer, radon exhalation rates, radon concentrations, and lung cancer risks in several types of commonly used granite stone, samples used for flooring in buildings, have been investigated.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We measured the radon exhalation rates due to granite stones by means of an AlphaGUARD Model PQ2000 in a cube container with changeable floor by various granite stones. The lung cancer risk and percentage of lung cancer deaths (LCRn) due to those conditions were calculated using Darby's model.

RESULTS: The radon exhalation rates ranged from 1.59 ± 0.41 to 9.43 ± 0.74 Bq/m 2/h. The radon concentrations in the standard room with poor and normal ventilation were calculated 20.10-71.09 Bq/m 3 and 16.12-47.01 Bq/m 3, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: The estimated numbers of lung cancer deaths attributable to indoor radon due to granite stones in 2013 were 145 (3.33%) and 103 (2.37%) for poor and normal ventilation systems, respectively. According to our estimations, the values of 3.33% and 2.37% of lung cancer deaths in 2013 are attributed to radon exhalation of granite stones with poor and normal ventilation systems, respectively.