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Thawing permafrost in the Arctic could release radon, a radioactive gas that can cause cancer, scientists have warned.
Permafrost, which keeps the ground frozen year-round in the Arctic, acts like a cap that prevents various gases from escaping into the atmosphere. The most famous of these is probably methane. This is a powerful greenhouse gas that is released when permafrost thaws, thereby accelerating global warming. climate change.
But a new paper published in the March issue of the journal earth science reviewsResearchers say another dangerous gas lurks beneath the Arctic permafrost. radon. This colorless and odorless gas is a step in the radioactive decay of natural uranium. It is known to sometimes accumulate inside homes, especially in basements, thus increasing the long-term risk of lung cancer for residents.by environmental protection agencyRadon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, causing 21,000 deaths annually.
At this time, radon is not necessarily an immediate problem in areas at or near the North Pole, where the ground remains frozen year-round. That’s because permafrost prevents gases from rising from the soil. paul goodfellowHe is an expert in the Alaska Geological and Geophysical Survey’s geohazards environmental program, told Live Science. But when the permafrost thaws, this protective shield disappears.
“There’s some pretty promising research underway that shows how this permafrost can potentially expose homeowners to radon,” said Goodfellow, who was not involved in the study.
Related: ‘Further liberation of the landscape’: Arctic permafrost crumbles into rivers, potentially triggering catastrophic feedback loops
Goodfellow’s work includes encouraging Alaska homeowners to test for radon, which can be a challenge given the state’s low population density. He said limited postal service in remote areas makes it difficult to send test kits back to labs in the Lower 48 states for analysis.
“We’re still at the stage where we’re trying to do enough testing to identify hot spots,” he told Live Science.
In the new study, researchers pooled previous studies on radon in permafrost regions, including Alaska and the Harbin mountains of northeastern China. Researchers led by Jiang Kui of the Harbin Natural Resources Research Center of the China Geological Survey say this suggests that permafrost degradation could lead to radon entering homes and workplaces. are writing.
However, they added that research on radon transport in permafrost regions is “completely inadequate.”
Art Nash, an energy specialist with the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service, said permafrost does not melt systematically from top to bottom. Instead, it melts unevenly, creating cracks and gaps. Seismic activity, which is common in Alaska, can also create new faults through which radon can pass.
“If you knew where the uranium deposits were, you wouldn’t be able to draw a straight line with a ruler…With uneven melting, you never know where you’re going to end up breaking through,” Nash told LiveScience. . .
There are also questions about how radon interacts with other gases trapped beneath permafrost, Nash said. The most concerning of these is methane. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that can rapidly accelerate global warming when released in large quantities. Another cause for concern is methylmercury. Methylmercury is a chemical that disrupts the nervous system and can accumulate in water and animal tissues throughout the food chain.
“How will these gases compete for the limited routes open in the permafrost?” Nash said.
Goodfellow said answering these questions will be a long-term challenge. However, as the climate warms, permafrost is receiving increased attention.
“Now that this problem is so prevalent, universities and government agencies are spending more money on it,” he said. “We hope to see more data coming out over the next five to 10 years.”
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