Associations Between School Characteristics and Classroom Radon Concentrations in Utah’s Public Schools: A Project Completed by University Environmental Health Students

Elizabeth A. Davis, Judy Y. Ou, Cheyenne Chausow, Marco A. Verdeja, Eleanor Divver, James D. Johnston and John D. Beard
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Elizabeth A. Davis: Department of Public Health, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
Judy Y. Ou: Cancer Control and Population Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
Cheyenne Chausow: Department of Public Health, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
Marco A. Verdeja: Department of Public Health, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
Eleanor Divver: Radon Program, Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, USA
James D. Johnston: Department of Public Health, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
John D. Beard: Department of Public Health, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 16, 1-17

Abstract: Radon (²²²Rn), a radioactive gas, is the second leading cause of lung cancer deaths in the U.S. Classroom radon concentrations in public schools in our target area had never been measured or had not been measured in many years. We had university students, primarily enrolled in environmental health courses, measure radon concentrations in 2289 classrooms in 66 of Utah’s public schools and identify school characteristics associated with classroom radon concentrations. The geometric mean (GM) classroom radon concentration was 31.39 (95% confidence interval (CI): 27.16, 36.28) Bq/m 3 (GM: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.72, 0.98 pCi/L). Thirty-seven (2%) classrooms in 13 (20%) schools had radon concentrations at or above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recommended action level of 148 Bq/m 3 (4.0 pCi/L). Number of classrooms had a u-shaped association with classroom radon concentrations. The year the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system was installed was inversely associated with having classroom radon concentrations at or above the EPA’s recommended action level. Number of classrooms and number of students had u-shaped associations with having classroom radon concentrations at or above the EPA’s recommended action level. Classroom radon concentrations decreased when schools’ HVAC systems were on. Replacing HVAC systems and turning/keeping them on may be effective radon mitigation strategies to prevent radon-associated lung cancer, especially for small and large schools.

Keywords: environmental; exposure assessment; occupational; radon; school (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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