2024-04-20 03:49:55
With all the temperature records that have been broken in recent months, it is normal to review all the effects of the climate change. We are already seeing heat waves and extreme rainfall and droughts, but that is just the beginning. Little by little we will see little-known collateral damage, which can be terrifying. One of them, without a doubt, is the permafrost melting.
It is thus defined as the set of earth, rocks and sediments amalgamated with ice that has not melted in at least two years. Therefore, it refers to a permanently frozen layer, which is logically found in the coldest places on Earth. The problem is that climate change is also reaching those places, so that ice will little by little melt, releasing what is under it. There has been much talk about the possibility that highly pathogenic microorganisms are released, for which our immune systems are not prepared. But that is not all. Large amounts of a highly radioactive and carcinogenic gas.
This gas is the radon. It is found naturally beneath the Earth’s surface and generally comes to the surface at levels that are not of concern. In the open air it dissipates quickly, but in buildings it can accumulate, becoming very dangerous. Therefore, it is very important to know the levels that come out in specific areas of the Earth. A 2022 study showed that in the Arctic the release of radon from melting permafrost could be catastrophic. And there, several factors would come together that could end up with the death of many of its inhabitants.
Where does radon come from?
Radon found under the Earth’s surface comes mainly from uranium decay present in some rocks. It can also be found in groundwater. For all this, this gas is continuously formed and released through the Earth’s surface.
In buildings it can penetrate through small cracks, accumulating inside. It is one of the reasons why ventilation is so important. The amount of radon will depend on the geological composition of the areasince not all rocks have uranium and those that do, do not have it in the same amount.
But in the case of frozen areas, the permafrost melting adds a disturbing factor, which has not been studied enough and which, with climate change so advanced, should begin to be taken into account.
In permafrost, its components are kept amalgamated thanks to ice. Credit: Boris Radosavljevic (Wikimedia Commons)
The dangers of radon from melting permafrost
Permafrost, when it comes to underground radon, is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it acts as shield to prevent release. But, precisely for that reason, also favors its accumulation. If it cannot get outside, it accumulates as the uranium in the rocks decays.
In fact, it is estimated that the radon concentration in areas covered by permafrost it increases 12 times compared to non-frozen surfaces with the same geological composition. As a consequence, the melting of this permafrost can bring many problems to the nearby population.
According to research on its effects, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. Furthermore, tobacco itself creates synergies with radon, so smokers have a much higher chance of getting sick if they are exposed to this gas. Taking into account that in the Arctic the tradition of smoking is still deeply rooted and there are a large number of smokers, the health risks would be even greater.
It has been seen that all this is multiplied in buildings with basements, since it is there, if it is not well sealed, where the highest proportion of radon enters. Therefore, now that climate change is beginning to show its cruelty, this is something that must also be contemplated.
By: HIPERTEXTUAL