Chinese scientists from Northeastern Forestry University have discovered that melting permafrost in the Arctic may lead to the release of radon, a radioactive gas that causes cancer. The study was published in the scientific journal magazine Earth Science Reviews (ESR).
Radon is formed during the natural decay of uranium. It can accumulate in basements of homes, increasing the long-term risk of lung cancer for residents. The fact that the substance is colorless and odorless makes it difficult to detect.
In the new study, researchers compiled previous research on radon in permafrost regions, including the mountains of Alaska and northeastern China. The review suggests that permafrost degradation may allow radon to enter residential buildings.
Melting perennial ice in the soil can release large amounts of the greenhouse gas methane and other hazardous elements in addition to radon. These include methylmercury, a toxic natural chemical that damages the nervous system and can also accumulate in water and in the tissues of animals eaten by humans.
According to scientists, due to the uneven disappearance of permafrost, it is difficult to predict where emissions may occur; therefore, information about uranium deposits cannot be relied upon when searching for potentially hazardous areas.
happened before known About the emergence of huge craters in Siberia due to global warming.