Radon-222

Following the 1898 discovery of radium through chemical analysis of radioactive ore, Marie and Pierre Curie observed a new radioactive substance emanating from radium in 1899 that was strongly radioactive for several days.[4] Around the same time, Ernest Rutherford and Robert B. Owens observed a similar (though shorter-lived) emission from thorium compounds.[5] German physicist Friedrich Ernst Dorn extensively studied these emanations in the early 1900s and attributed them to a new gaseous element, radon. In particular, he studied the product in the uranium series, radon-222, which he called radium emanation.[6]

In the early 20th century, the element radon was known by several different names. Chemist William Ramsay, who extensively studied the element's chemical properties, suggested the name niton, and Rutherford originally suggested emanation. At that time, radon only referred to the isotope ²²²Rn, whereas the names actinon and thoron denoted ²¹⁹Rn and ²²⁰Rn, respectively.[7] In 1957, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) promoted the name radon to refer to the element rather than just ²²²Rn; this was done under a new rule concerning isotope naming conventions.[7] This decision was controversial because it was believed to give undue credit to Dorn's identification of radon-222 over Rutherford's identification of radon-220, and the historical use of the name radon created confusion as to whether the element or the isotope ²²²Rn was being discussed.[7]

Radon-222 is generated in the uranium series from the alpha decay of radium-226, which has a half-life of 1600 years. Radon-222 itself alpha decays to polonium-218 with a half-life of approximately 3.82 days, making it the most stable isotope of radon.[1] Its final decay product is stable lead-206.

In theory, ²²²Rn is capable of double beta decay to ²²²Ra, and depending on the mass measurement, single beta decay to ²²²Fr may also be allowed.[8][lower-alpha 1] These decay modes have been searched for, yielding lower partial half-life limits of 8 years for both transitions. If the beta decay of ²²²Rn is possible, it is predicted to have a very low decay energy (24 ± 21 keV) and thus a half-life on the order of 10⁵ years, also resulting in a very low branching probability relative to alpha decay.[8]

All radon isotopes are hazardous owing to their radioactivity, gaseous nature, chemical inertness, and radioactivity of their decay products (progeny). Radon-222 is especially dangerous because its longer half-life allows it to permeate soil and rocks, where it is produced in trace quantities from decays of uranium-238, and concentrate in buildings and uranium mines. This contrasts with the other natural isotopes that decay far more quickly (half-lives less than 1 minute) and thus do not contribute significantly to radiation exposure.[9] At higher concentrations, gaseous ²²²Rn may be inhaled and decay before exhalation, which leads to a buildup of its daughters ²¹⁸Po and ²¹⁴Po in the lungs, whose high-energy alpha and gamma radiation damages cells. Extended periods of exposure to ²²²Rn and its progeny ultimately induce lung cancer.[9] Alternatively, radon may enter the body through contaminated drinking water or through the decay of ingested radium[3] – making radon diffusion one of the greatest dangers of radium.[10] Thus, ²²²Rn is a carcinogen; in fact, it is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States after cigarette smoking,[3] with over 20,000 deaths per year attributed to radon-induced lung cancer.[9][11]

• Isotopes of radon