Lower-Cost Real-Time Radon Sensors Are Very Useful
An intercomparison of 2 fast sensors
1/ INTERCOMPARISON of AFFORDABLE HOME RADON SENSORS [TDLR: they compare well]
What is radon?
An invisible odorless radioactive gas
Rises from ground & accumulates indoors
2nd leading cause of lung cancer
EPA link for more background https://epa.gov/radon #TestFixSaveALife
2/ Radon is more of a problem in some places than others, depending on the rocks in the soil. Places with granite are worst. There are maps such as from EPA or Airthings. November is lung cancer awareness month, EPA promotes hashtag: #TestFixSaveALife
3/ Radon in homes can be mitigated a limited cost:
Put a plastic film over the ground
And a fan that runs all the time (ours uses 75 W, not much). Sucks soil gas and expels outdoors. #TestFixSaveALife
https://epa.gov/radon/radon-resistant-construction-basics-and-techniques…
4/ Unfortunately, radon mitigation is NOT required in most places, e.g. in the US. It is voluntary. Construction & rental industries resists because of cost E.g. student rental apts. next to us: high radon, NO mitigation system ==> higher lung cancer rates #TestFixSaveALife
5/ A radon test is required when you buy a home in some places. Typically a radon test kit, measures once (e.g. https://firstalert.com/us/en/products/more-safety-products/test-kits/rd1-home-radon-test-kit-rd1…)
Problem: radon changes all the time. A single point test may be low and radon may still be high at other times (example: our house)
6/ In the last decade some affordable real-time radon measurement devices have been commercialized I've bought several to monitor our home and to learn about them. One is from Airthings, cheapest one is $199: https://airthings.com/wave-radon [No conflicts of interest on my part]
7/ Another one is from EcoQube from @ecosenseinc (right now $169): #TestFixSaveALife [Again no conflict of interest on my part. I only wish they replied to my emails to technical support!]
8/ As an experimentalist, knowing quality of such home devices can vary a lot, wondered how well they work A way to learn: intercompare. Did that in our house. Turned OFF radon fan during travel Radon up when fan was off, down when on --> mitigation works! #TestFixSaveALife
9/ So it seems that the RELATIVE response of the @EcosenseInc sensor is good. What about the ABSOLUTE response? I.e. how much radon is there?
Harder to do rigorously
Shortcut: intercompare @EcosenseInc with @Airthings sensor
10/ Trick: both report every 1 h. But @Airthings applies 24 h rolling average to reduce noise [This is really annoying, I asked @Airthings for an option to remove it, they refused] So to compare, apply 24 h rolling average to @EcoSenseInc data Done in plot, COMPARE WELL!
11/ I want to stress that this is VERY GOOD for consumer-grade devices. I have seen a lot worse (e.g. ALL the CO2 sensors that are NOT NDIR = non-dispersive infrared DO NOT WORK!)
12/ For the scientists in the audience, this is the scatter plot Given short period, and that I am not sure I am exactly duplicating the @Airthings processing algorithm for the @EconSenseInc data (dominates high values for tall short spike), this is VERY GOOD #TestFixSaveALife
13/ These results are consistent with a recent scientific paper (http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su14031529…), where they tested RadonEye (also from @EcosenseInc) and the @AirThings wave. However, they didn't know about the Airthings 24 h running average, so they reach the wrong conclusions.
14/ Conclusion: portable lower-cost (not really "low-cost" $170-$200) radon sensors work! Libraries in high radon regions (e.g. @boulderlibrary) should loan these. So people can test for 1 month without having to buy This is starting to be done for CO2:
Toronto Public Library begins CO2 monitor lending program to measure indoor air quality | CBC News
15/ It is true (as @DavidElfstrom reminds us) that one time radon tests are cheaper (e.g. $15 for this one: https://amazon.com/-/en/Professional-Lab-RL116-juego-prueba/dp/B000MISNU4…) BUT, radon levels change. And 1-hr measurements let you test different rooms, basements, crawl spaces etc. very quickly.
16/ Radon follows air currents. But yes, should be more of a problem for basements or ground floors Not impossible it is a problem in a higher floor if there is an air path (just like for COVID transmission http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiab598…), not very likely
17/ Question from a scientist colleague. Good idea. Have not tested it against the integrated cheap tests A colleague (R. Volkamer) has some professional Durridge RAD7 meters that we are now intercomparing. I may bring them home for a wk, do all
Airthings easily makes the best consumer Radon detector in my experience. The 24 hour rolling average is annoying but it's still reasonably accurate in real time. Citizens should have the ability to rent a Alpha particle monitor from a local library to directly detect for leak locations. The data is outdated and confusing, but Radon as a gas is not necessarily directly toxic. Radon attached to particulates is supposedly 90% of its toxicity. Radon infused particulates inside of a HEPA filter have the ability to de-attach and be readmitted into the air. Inhalation of Radon progeny causes oxidative stress in real time. When you inhale a Radon dust particle, and it's in your lungs for 3-24 hours, it's far more likely to decay/cause oxidative stress in the lungs versus inhaling Radon gas/exhaling it right back out. Radon also causes secondary VOC emissions from surfaces/plastics like pipes you could find in a basement. Ambient natural ozone levels modulate Radon levels as well. Radon is also used as a form of alternative medicine in some parts of the world. Radon is also emitted from building materials such as bricks/granite counter tops. Bring a monitor to a building materials store, you will see instant excess radiation. Further, monitoring of non Radon/Alpha radiation particles is important. Such as, inhalation of beta particles can cause oxidative stress as well.
Radon can also be emitted from water/the shower itself. Also in my experience, smoking cannabis emits radiation. I can be at a fast food drive thru and the driver in front of me is smoking weed. Both my VOC sensors & radiation sensors go up. Radiation can be absorbed/deposited on any plant, including tobacco.