EVALUATION OF INDOOR RADON CONCENTRATIONS FOR THE QUAD CITIES (ROCK ISLAND COUNTY, IL, AND SCOTT COUNTY, IA)

Radon is an invisible, tasteless, and odorless gas that decays naturally from uranium-bearing rocks within the Earth. The gas also happens to be the second leading cause of lung cancer in the US. It has been hypothesized that radon is problematic within the United States Midwest because of the abundance of homes with basements, where the gas can accumulate. Previous research has shown that radon levels are highly variable within homes, but there has been no conclusive evidence as to what is influencing the concentrations. In addition to the unknown factors, there has been little research done in the Midwest. Through RadonEye© data collection in the IL-IA Quad Cities (Rock Island, Moline, Davenport, and Bettendorf) and statistical analysis, this study aims to spread awareness of radon’s potential effects, as well as begin to fill the research gap in Midwestern radon data. The preliminary results of this project indicate that uncovered sump pumps contribute to increased indoor radon concentrations but that the levels are still highly impacted by many other factors, not one alone. We look at environmental factors such as bedrock type and depth, weather patterns, proximity to water sources, and soil classification, as well as house information such as basement floor and wall type, year of construction, presence of a sump pump, and type of ventilation.