Andrea Maiorana is a Ph.D. student in Energy and Environment at the National Center for Radiation Protection and Computational Physics of the Italian National Institute of Health. He graduated in 2021 from Sapienza – University of Rome (Italy) with a Master’s Degree in Nuclear Engineering. His research is concerned with natural radioactivity sources with a focus on radon-related issues.
Population exposure to indoor radon has been proven to increase the risk of lung cancer, and it is considered a leading cause after tobacco smoking. Due to the relatively low outdoor activity concentration, most of the exposure to radon occurs indoors. Radon is generated mostly by the rocks that contain radium-226 either in the soil or in the building materials. Once generated, it enters the buildings directly, due to the activity concentration gradient, or indirectly via a radon carrier. The magnitude and the relative contribution of the entry patterns depend mainly on the building characteristics, the geology, and the living habits of occupants.
Part of the book: Indoor Radon