Iradon—Ingabe Iyingozi Ekhaya Lakho?

UNJINIYELA owayesebenza embonini yamandla enuzi yaseLimerick empumalanga United States wathola ukuthi ngisho noma engangenanga embonini yamandla, umzimba wakhe wawukhalisa insimbi ehlola imisebe. Lapho kuba sobala ukuthi wayengatholi imisebe embonini yenuzi, indlu yakhe yahlolwa, futhi kwatholakala ukuthi iyona ewumthombo wokungcola.

Isithunywa sevangeli esineminyaka engu-68 ubudala esasilulama ekuhlinzweni kwenhliziyo sasinobunzima bokunqoba ianemia (isifo sokuntuleka kwamangqamuzana abomvu egazi) ngisho nakuba sasithola umuthi owakha igazi laso. Omunye wemibuzo udokotela awubuza wawungukuthi: “Ingabe wake waba sendaweni enemisebe?”

“Yebo,” siphendula. “Lapho ngisanda kweva eminyakeni engu-20, ngasebenza iminyaka emibili nginguchwepheshe endaweni eyayineradon.”

“Kungase kube yileyo inkinga yakho,” kuphetha udokotela.

Bobabili unjiniyela embonini yamandla enuzi nendoda eyayiphethwe ianemia babeye baba izisulu zengozi engabonakali, iradon.

‘Iradon. Yini leyo? Futhi ingabe ingaba ingozi ekhaya lami?’ ungase ubuze.

Iyini?

Iradon, igesi elingenaphunga, elingenambala, lingesinye sezakhi zamakhemikhali eziyisithupha ezaziwa ngokuthi amanoble, noma amainert gas. Nokho, iradon ihlukile kwamanye amanoble gas ayisihlanu ngokuthi ikhipha imisebe. Iwumkhiqizo wokubola kweradium ekhipha imisebe.

Izakhi ezikhipha imisebe zikhipha imisebe ethile, noma izinhlayiyana, futhi lapho zibola, lezizakhi zishintsha zibe ezinye izinto. Ngaleyondlela, insimbi ekhipha imisebe iuranium ekugcineni iba iradium. Lapho iathomu yensimbi iradium ikhipha imisebe, iyashintsha ibe iathomu yeradon. Kamuva, iradon iyabola ibe imikhiqizo ekhipha imisebe eyaziwa ngokuthi abantwana bayo.

Izinga lokubola kwento ekhipha imisebe libizwa ngokuthi ukuphila kwesigamu sayo. Ukuphila okuyisigamu kweradon kungaphansi kancane kwezinsuku ezine, okusho ukuthi ezinsukwini ezicishe zibe zine, ingxenye yeradon yokuqala iyobe isibole yaba ezinye izinto. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ukuphila kwesigamu seradium kuyiminyaka engu-⁠1 660 kanti esokuphila kweuranium kuyiminyaka engu-⁠4 500 000 000! Ngaleyondlela, esimweni sayo semvelo, iuranium iningi kakhulu kuneradium ngoba iuranium inokuphila kwesigamu sayo okude kakhulu.

Umthombo Wenkinga

Kunoma iyiphi iuranium engahluziwe, kuhlale kukhona isilinganiso esithile seradium, kanye nesilinganiso esincane seradon. Legesi ekhipha imisebe, engangena ekhaya lomuntu, iwumthombo wenkinga.

Isilinganiso seuranium etholakala emadwaleni nasenhlabathini siyahlukahluka kakhulu indawo ngayinye. Lokhu kusho ukuthi ezindaweni ezithile isilinganiso esikhulu seradon singase siphume kancane kancane enhlabathini. Uma iradon iphumela emoyeni, iyonyamalala ngokushesha. Kodwa uma kwenzeka legesi ibe ngaphansi kwendlu, ingase ibambeke lapho futhi iphume kancane kancane iye emakamelweni angaphansi endlu ngemifantu ephansi noma ezindongeni noma ngemishini namapayipi adonsa amanzi.

Iradon futhi itholakala emanzini angaphansi, ngakho ingangena futhi ekhaya ngesimiso samanzi. Ingozi ayinkulu kakhulu ekuphuzeni amanzi kunasekuhogeleni igesi ephuma emanzini lapho umuntu ewasha, egeza, noma epheka.

Okuhlangenwe nakho kukanjiniyela wasembonini yenuzi yaseLimerick okukhulunywe ngakho esethulweni kubonisa ingozi engenzeka. Isisekelo sendlu yakhe kwatholakala ukuthi sasibekwe eqhuzwini ledwala elineuranium. Ukukhishwa kwemisebe endlini yokuphumula kwalinganiselwa kumapicocurie angu-⁠3 200, kuyilapho iEPA (Environmental Protection Agency) itusa ukuba kuthathwe izinyathelo ukuze kuncishiswe amazinga eradon emakhaya anesilinganiso samapicocurie angaphezu kwamane ngelitha lomoya.a

Ngokokunye ukulinganisa, umkhaya ngonyaka owawuhlala ngawo endlini wathola isilinganiso semisebe esifanayo naleso owawungasithola kumaX-ray esifuba angu-260 000! Ngaleyondlela, amathuba okuba ube nomdlavuza wamaphaphu anda kakhulu. Ngokuhlakanipha umkhaya wathutha kuleyondlu kwaze kwaba yilapho isimo sesilungisiwe. “Angibhemi futhi angikaze ngibuthinte utshwala lapho ngikhulelwe,” kusho umfazi. “Kodwa manje ngiletha abantabami ukuba bazophila efwini lemisebe yenuzi.”

Isilinganiso esiphakeme semisebe siye satholakala futhi ezindaweni eziseDenmark, eFrance, eGrisi, eItaly, eJalimane, eNetherlands, eSweden, naseUnited Kingdom. Izisebenzi eziningi zasezimayini zeuranium ezazivulekele kuyiradon ziye zabulawa umdlavuza wamaphaphu. Eqinisweni, umlobi weNew York Times uthi: “Akekho okungabazayo ukukwazi kweradon ukubangela umdlavuza, isifo esasivame ukubulala ingxenye yezisebenzi zasezimayini zeuranium, ezazihogela isilinganiso esikhulu semikhiqizo yeradon zonke izinsuku zokusebenza.”

Inkulu Kangakanani Ingozi?

Njengoba iradon eningi efakwa emaphashini ngokuphefumula iphuma ngaphambi kokuba ibole, yona ngokwayo ayibangeli ingozi enkulu empilweni. Nokho, “abantwana”​—⁠imikhiqizo ekhipha imisebe yenuzi iradon ebola ibe yiyo⁠—​ingaba ingozi. Lemikhiqizo inamandla futhi inamathela ezinhlayiyeni zothuli ezincane ezingase zihlale emaphashini. Ngaleyondlela, isicubu sephaphu singase sithintwe imisebe. Njengoba uDkt. Anthony Nero, Jr., isazi sesayensi esikhulu eLawrence Berkeley Laboratory yase Yunivesithi yaseCalifornia, sichaza: “Ngenxa yokuthi [imikhiqizo ekhipha imisebe yenuzi leyo iradon ebola ibe yiyo] inokuphila okuyisigamu okufushane, uma ike yaqoqanela ephashini, kungenzeka ukuba ibolele [khona].”

Ingozi yokuvulekela kuyiradon emakhaya iye yahlolwa nje eminyakeni yamuva, futhi akekho ngempela owaziyo ukuthi yisiphi isilinganiso esilondekile sokuvulekela kuyo. Ekuqaleni kwalonyaka iEPA yanciphisa ukulinganisela kwayo ingozi. “Ngaphambili salinganisela ukufa ngenxa yomdlavuza okungu-21 000 ngonyaka okubangelwa iradon futhi lesosibalo mhlawumbe manje sesingu-16 000,” kusho uDkt. Richard J. Guimond, isikhulu seEPA. Nokho, uthi: “Iradon isengenye yezingozi ezinkulu zempilo abantu ababhekene nazo.” Nokho, akekho ongakhomba ngokuqiniseka noma yikuphi ukufa ngenxa yomdlavuza okubangelwa ukuvulekela kuyiradon ekhaya.

Eqinisweni, abanye bakholelwa ukuthi ukukhathazeka ngeradon kuyihaba. UWilliam Mills, owayeyinhloko yeEPA, uthi isibalo sababulawa umdlavuza obangelwa iradon sikhulu kunokufanele ngenxa yokuthi okuningi kwalokhu kufa kufanele kusolwe ukubhema ngakho.” “Umbono wami,” kusho yena, “uwukuthi ingozi yangempela ebangelwa yiradon iphakathi kwesibalo esinguqanda nesinye isibalo esiseduze kweqanda.” Onombono ofanayo uRoger Eaton, inhloko yeqembu leradon emnyangweni wezempilo nezenhlala-kahle kuhulumeni waseCanada. Uthi: “Okuhlangenwe nakho kwethu, kuwukuthi umdlavuza wamaphaphu uyisifo esingavamile lapho kungekho ukubhema okuhilelekile.”

Ngokusobala ukubhema kuyandisa kakhulu ingozi yeradon kulabo abavulekele kuyo. Umagazini iScience uthi ukuvulekela kuyiradon kwandisa ingozi yokuba nomdlavuza wamaphaphu kwababhemayo okungenani ngokuphindwe ngeshumi. Akwaziwa ukuthi kungani iradon ibathinta kakhulu ababhemayo kunabangabhemi, kodwa ezinye izazi zinomuzwa wokuthi amaphaphu alinyazwe ukubhema angase abambe imikhiqizo ekhipha imisebe yenuzi ebangelwa ukubola kweradon.

Ezinye izindawo zaziwa njengezineradon eningi. EClinton, eNew Jersey, eUnited States, kwatholakala ukuthi wonke amakhaya ahlolwa komunye umphakathi ayenezinga eliphakame lemisebe yeradon. Amakhaya ayisihlanu ayeneningi kangangokuthi kwalinganiselwa ukuthi ukuhlala kuwo konke ukuphila kwabo kwakungabangela ukuba abahlala kuwo babe nengozi yomdlavuza wamaphaphu efanayo naleyo ebingabangelwa ukubhema amaphakethe angu-20 kasikilidi ngosuku!

UDkt. Nero uyachaza: “Abantu abaningi kulezindawo bahlala emakhaya anesilinganiso seradon esingaphezu kwamapicocurie angu-20, okuyisilinganiso esikhulu kunesabasebenza ezimayini.” UNero uyalinganisa: “Kunemikhaya ecishe ibe ngu-100 000 enjalo, futhi labantu baludinga ngempela usizo.”

I-EPA iye yaxwayisa ngokuthi amakhaya aseMelika ayizigidi eziyisishiyagalombili anesilinganiso seradon eseqa iziqondiso zikahulumeni zamapicocurie amane ngeliter lomoya. Nokho, ezinye izazi zikholelwa ukuthi isilinganiso se-EPA samakhaya asengozini siyihaba. Futhi ziyalingabaza izinga lengozi elimelelwa isilinganiso esiphansi seradon. UDkt. Barnard L. Cohen, uprofesa wesayensi yempilo yezinto zemvelo nemisebe eYunivesithi yasePittsburgh, wathi: “Incazelo yami ngalemininingwane iwukuthi ukuvulekela kuyiradon esesilinganisweni esiphansi akunangozi ngempela; akukho kuthinteka esilinganisweni esiphansi, njengoba sitholakala emakhaya amaningi.”

Kuthiwani Ngekhaya Lakho?

Ingozi iradon engaba yiyo kuwe ixhomeke kakhulu ekutheni iningi kangakanani iuranium esenhlabathini lapho uhlala khona. Esinye isici esibalulekile uhlobo lwenhlabathi engaphansi kwekhaya lakho; inhlabathi ehlakazekile ivumela ukungena kweradon eningi ngisho noma iradium esenhlabathini ingeningi.

Nokho esinye isici siyindlela ikhaya lakho elakhiwe ngayo. Ngokwesibonelo, amakhaya amaningi esimanje akhelwe ukuba angangenisi umoya ukuze kuncishiswe izindleko zokuwafudumeza. Ngaleyondlela, iradon engena kuwo ngeke iphume kalula. Njengoba isikhulu se-EPA sachaza: “Lapho uzama ukuyivala ngci indlu, yilapho isilinganiso sokungcola komoya siphakama khona.” Ngaleyondlela, izindlu ezindala ezingenisa umoya cishe zilondekile engozini engaba khona yeradon.

Indawo eyaziwa ngokuba neuranium eningi eUnited States indawo esuka empumalanga Pennsylvania kunqamule enyakatho New Jersey kuze kufike eNew York. Enye indawo esesigodini saseRed River ephakathi kweMinnesota neNorth Dakota. Uma uhlala ezindaweni ezaziwa ngokuba neradon eningi, kungase kube ukuhlakanipha ukuba umoya ophakathi ekhaya lakho uhlolwe ukuze kutholakale isilinganiso seradon esikuwo.

Nokho, kungakhathaliseki indawo ikhaya lakho elikuyo, imiphumela yokuhlola ayinakubikezelwa. Enye indlu ePennsylvania yayinesilinganiso seradon samapicocurie angu-⁠2 694, kodwa enye eseduze kwayo yayinangu-⁠3,6 kuphela! Kanti futhi isilinganiso esiphakeme seradon esendlini singatholakala ezindaweni ezingenalo idumela lokuba neuranium. Ngenxa yalokho kungabikezeleki, umqondisi we-EPA uthi: “Okuwukuphela kwento esicela abantu ukuba bayenze kuwukusebenzisa imali [engu-R29] kuya [ku-R57] ukuze bathole ukuthi banayo yini inkinga.”

Uma unquma ukuba ikhaya lakho lihlolwe, kunezindlela ezihlukene zokukwenza. Ungase ufune ukuthola ukwaziswa kubameleli basendaweni yakini ngokuqondene nokulawula indawo ezungezile. “Isiqondiso siwukuba nesilinganiso esilingene emakamelweni lapho uhlala khona,” kuphawula uDkt. Nero. “Kodwa okuningi ukuhlola okwenziwa iEPA,” esho, “kwenziwa ngemishini yokuhlola ebekwe emakamelweni angezansi.” Futhi uyagcizelela: “Ukuhlola kufanele kuqhubeke izinyanga, futhi kutuswa unyaka.”

Kuyoba ukuhlakanipha ukuba oqaphile ekukhetheni inkampane ezohlola, njengoba ezinye zinedumela elihle kunezinye. Imishini ehlola iradon ingathengwa. Kodwa imibiko ibonisa ukwehlukana okukhulu ekunembeni kuye ngohlobo lomshini.

Uma ngemva kokuhlola uthola ukuthi ikhaya lakho linesilinganiso esiphakeme semisebe, inkinga ingasingathwa. Mhlawumbe ukuvala imifantu ezindongeni zamakamelo angaphansi naphansi nokusebenzisa amafan ukuze uthuthukise ukungena komoya kuyoba okwanele. EClinton, eNew Jersey, umphakathi okukhulunywe ngawo ngenhla lapho wonke amakhaya ayenesilinganiso esiphakeme semisebe, amakhaya okuqala ayishumi okwakusetshenzwa kuwo amazinga awo ancishiselwa esilinganisweni esiphephile phakathi nezinyanga eziyisithupha. Umsebenzi wokulungisa lenkinga awuvamile ukubiza ngaphezu kuka-R4 275​—⁠futhi ngokuvamile ngaphansi kakhulu.

Ezimweni ezingavamile impela, njengaleso sikanjiniyela wemboni yenuzi, kungase kudingeke umsebenzi omkhulu. Indawo yaphansi eyenziwe ngokhonkolo emakamelweni angaphansi nenhlabathi eningi engaphansi kwadingeka kususwe. Izisekelo zendlu zambozwa ngepulastiki ekhethekile evimbela iradon, futhi yonke imifantu kukhonkolo yavalwa ngesilicone. Ekugcineni kwakhiwa isimiso sokungenisa umoya esikhethekile. Umzamo wokunciphisa iradon ukuba ibe sesilinganisweni esiphephile wabonakala uyimpumelelo, nakuba kwenziwa ngezindleko ezingu-R92 910.

Ngokujabulisayo, ubufakazi bubonakala bubonisa ukuthi usongo lweradon emakhaya alulukhulu kangangokuba bekwesatshwa. Kodwa uma ungabaza ngekhaya lakho, ungase ufune ukuba lihlolwe ukuze ube nokuthula kwengqondo.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Izithombe ekhasini 13]

Indlela i“radon” engangena ngayo ekhaya

Isisi esiphuma emanzini esiphethu

Imifantu phansi nasezindongeni

Amapayipi okudonsa amanzi

I“granite”

Amanzi esiphethu

Imifantu phansi

Izitini ezinezimbobo