US EPA

1431995 

Journal Article 

History Of The Exposure Of Miners To Radon 

Behounek, F 

1970 

Yes 

Health Physics
ISSN: 0017-9078
EISSN: 1538-5159 

NIOSH/00157451 

19 

56-57 

A history of exposure to and subsequent effects of radon (10043922) in Bohemian uranium (7440611) miners (SIC-1094) was examined. Airborne radon in the mine galleries from 1924 through 1930 ranged from 320 to 8,950 picoCuries per liter (pCi/l). Radon in the mine water ranged from 45 to 4,260pCi/l for the air taken from the bore close to the vein of pitch blends and 570pCi/l from the bore distant 50 meters from the previous point. The content of radium (7440144) in the mine water ranged from 7,300 to 53,900pCi/l. Radium in common rock was 0.000000000002 to 0.000000000293 gram, the maximum value measured for a sample taken 0.5 meter from the pitch blends. Extensive ventilation improvement reduced the content of airborne radon to below 350pCi/l at most worksites during the 1930s. However, it was noted that the current recommended value for maximum tolerable occupational exposure is 30pCi/l. Studies of deceased miners indicated that the average induction time for lung cancer was 17 years, with a minimum of 13 years. The author concludes that, because autopsies are often refused by relatives of the deceased, no definitive conclusions can be drawn about the effect of radon exposure on miners. 

DCN-145087; Exposure limits; Volatiles; Pulmonary function; Workers; Chemical analysis; Radiation hazards; Analytical models; Histology; Exposure levels