By Nyasigo Kornel
The residents who stay in areas where Uranium has been explored have risk of getting lung cancer following emission of Radon gas that is released by this radioactive substance when it decays, and so are advised to shift.
This has been said by Head of Department of Geology at the University of Dar es Salaam Dr. Isaac Marobhe in an exclusive interview with this paper.
“Radon that is emitted when Uranium decays is the second leading cause of lung cancer and it is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers,” said Dr. Marobhe.
Giving example of what has been happening in United Sates of America; Dr. Marobhe said that lung cancer is the leading cancer killer of all Americans, both men and women, claiming 160,000 lives every year of whom 21,000 deaths among the number are caused by families being exposed to Radon gas, the number that is more than breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colorectal cancer combined.
He said that one the house is built over the down rocks with Uranium traces may cause scintillation of radon gas and once fills the room and inhaled by the house dwellers may cause lung cancer.
Already there is various confirmed Uranium deposits in Tanzania like in Rufiji Basin, Songea, Bahi depression in Dodoma near manyoni, Uluguru Mountains and Garula in Mbeya.
According to Dr. Marobhe, Radon becomes destructive when it undergoes radioactive decay. When radon decays, radiation and radon progeny (daughters) are produced.
These radon progeny are composed of heavy metal particles of lead, polonium, and bismuth that are electrically charged. They are so minute that they become airborne, travelling through the air where they are inhaled.
The scientific report that has been published by American popular journal of medicine known as Pubmed has revealed that large concentrations of radon are not necessary to cause lung cancer.
The journal advocated that a single radon atom alone can cause lung cancer. Radon particles damage cells by altering their genetic material. The damage typically kills or disables cellular reproduction. However, in some cases, the damaged cell may survive and continue to reproduce in a mutated state, forming cancerous tumours.
Already the journal confirmed that over 30 per cent of death that happens in Iroshima and Nagasaki where the atomic bomb has been dropped in World war II is caused by lung cancer.
Dr. Marobhe emphasized that already in Developed countries rules have been passed where one cannot build a house with stones unless the amount of Uranium traces in it is detected.
He said that granite rocks have tendency of having Uranium traces and hence emits Radon and person who live in the house may be affected.
He added that even Minjingu Phosphate in Arusha that has been discovered recently has traces of Uranium.
“We detected traces of radiation while in the aeroplane by the process called airborne geophysics,” he justified.
He advised government to replace those who stay around the places that Uranium has been discovered.
The residents who stay in areas where Uranium has been explored have risk of getting lung cancer following emission of Radon gas that is released by this radioactive substance when it decays, and so are advised to shift.
This has been said by Head of Department of Geology at the University of Dar es Salaam Dr. Isaac Marobhe in an exclusive interview with this paper.
“Radon that is emitted when Uranium decays is the second leading cause of lung cancer and it is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers,” said Dr. Marobhe.
Giving example of what has been happening in United Sates of America; Dr. Marobhe said that lung cancer is the leading cancer killer of all Americans, both men and women, claiming 160,000 lives every year of whom 21,000 deaths among the number are caused by families being exposed to Radon gas, the number that is more than breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colorectal cancer combined.
He said that one the house is built over the down rocks with Uranium traces may cause scintillation of radon gas and once fills the room and inhaled by the house dwellers may cause lung cancer.
Already there is various confirmed Uranium deposits in Tanzania like in Rufiji Basin, Songea, Bahi depression in Dodoma near manyoni, Uluguru Mountains and Garula in Mbeya.
According to Dr. Marobhe, Radon becomes destructive when it undergoes radioactive decay. When radon decays, radiation and radon progeny (daughters) are produced.
These radon progeny are composed of heavy metal particles of lead, polonium, and bismuth that are electrically charged. They are so minute that they become airborne, travelling through the air where they are inhaled.
The scientific report that has been published by American popular journal of medicine known as Pubmed has revealed that large concentrations of radon are not necessary to cause lung cancer.
The journal advocated that a single radon atom alone can cause lung cancer. Radon particles damage cells by altering their genetic material. The damage typically kills or disables cellular reproduction. However, in some cases, the damaged cell may survive and continue to reproduce in a mutated state, forming cancerous tumours.
Already the journal confirmed that over 30 per cent of death that happens in Iroshima and Nagasaki where the atomic bomb has been dropped in World war II is caused by lung cancer.
Dr. Marobhe emphasized that already in Developed countries rules have been passed where one cannot build a house with stones unless the amount of Uranium traces in it is detected.
He said that granite rocks have tendency of having Uranium traces and hence emits Radon and person who live in the house may be affected.
He added that even Minjingu Phosphate in Arusha that has been discovered recently has traces of Uranium.
“We detected traces of radiation while in the aeroplane by the process called airborne geophysics,” he justified.
He advised government to replace those who stay around the places that Uranium has been discovered.
No comments:
Post a Comment