Abstract

AICARDI-CARRILLO, Gonzalo; ASMAT-INOSTROSA, Marita  and  BARBOZA-RANGEL, Yanelly. Radon and its effects on the health of uranium mine workers. Med. segur. trab. [online]. 2015, vol.61, n.238, pp.86-98. ISSN 1989-7790.  https://dx.doi.org/10.4321/S0465-546X2015000100009.

Introduction: Radon is a gas that can be found underground, particularly in uranium mines, and which has consequences on health, namely lung cancer. It is the second cause of mortality for this disease in the United States. In spite of the strong causal relationship between both elements, there are no specific European regulations concerning miners. Objectives: To identify the effect of radon and its derivatives on the health of uranium mine workers; to describe the association between exposure to radon and other minerals and health as well as the association between radon and tobacco consumption. Methods: We perform a bibliographic review of the literature that has been published from 2007 to 2014 in different biomedical databases, using previously established inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: 32 articles were reviewed and a significant increase of lung cancer was observed (SMR: 2.03, 95% CI: 1.96-2.10) even for low doses (WLM: 300) as well as other types of cancer (laryngeal, gastric and hepatic cancer and leukemia) and cerebrovascular diseases, after adjusting for other confounding factors (tobacco consumption, silicosis, exposure to quartz and arsenic) in which no significant associations or synergies were found. Conclusion: There is an association between exposure to radon and lung cancer in uranium mines, with an average latency period of 20 years, determined by the dose of radon and the time of exposure. We did not find risk of developing other types of tumors, and the studies that suggest this hypothesis are inconsistent.

Keywords : Radon; occupational exposure; uranium mines.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in English | Spanish     · English ( pdf ) | Spanish ( pdf )