What is it about?
We calculate theoretical radon exposure rates from the largest bauxite red mud waste pit in Perth, Manchester. It is important to know the potential radiation exposure from radon because it is a gas that is otherwise undetectable. Radon is an alpha particle emitter and can do damage to human tissue when inhaled or otherwise ingested. Since the calculated radon exposure rates are negligible, we also propose the recycling of the bauxite waste for brick making in local, low income housing solutions.
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Photo by Yves Alarie on Unsplash
Why is it important?
It is important to know how radon is being emitted since it is an undetectable gas from plain observation. Jamaica also can improve its waste management by recycling used mining materials for other industries. Since the bauxite waste is not a radon hazard, the material can be used as raw material in built environment solutions.
Perspectives
This article was written based on my love for interdisciplinary science and engineering solutions for natural and built environments. I hope that the work done here can help to inform decisions made to improve Jamaica’s economy and assist future research in environmental science and engineering there and elsewhere.
Jullian Williams
University of Texas at San Antonio
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: A report on radon emission from bauxitic material in Perth, Manchester, Jamaica, AIP Advances, July 2022, American Institute of Physics,
DOI: 10.1063/5.0096781.
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