How is radon tested?
Radiation from radon is measured in a unit called the Becquerel (Bq) which represents one alpha particle being emitted per second. When measuring radon, the Bq is monitored per cubic meter of the air in your home (Bq/m3). A 16% increase in your relative risk of lung cancer is measurable per 100 Bq/m3 of chronic radon inhalation. In Canada, 200 Bq/m3 is considered the maximum allowable limit set by Health Canada, with advice being to strive for as low as reasonably achievable. We have observed some homes in Canada with radon as high as 110,000 Bq/m3, which is the equivalent of more than half a million dental x-ray equivalents of radiation each year according to the International Commission on Radiological Protection.
