RADON

Today a chemist his very little literature about radon at his disposal in spite of the few that in the past few years it has become a very i mportant theme. The present review aims to fill this gap and it presen ts a complete survey on this radionuclide, beginning with its properti es, occurrence in nature or analysis and finishing with its radiologic al importance. The article also indicates the resulting doses stressin g the lungs and the risk of a sossible induction of cancer in them. Ec onomic problems connected with the decontamination of so-called radon houses are also mentioned as well as certain positive features of its occurrence in the environment. Finally, considerable scientific incert ainty is stated concerning the whole radiological problem of radon.