Radon (Rn) is a colorless radioactive noble gas that occurs naturally in between the decays of thorium and uranium into lead. Radon is also a by-product of radium decay. It is used as a tracer in cancer therapy.
Radon is colorless, tasteless, and odorless, so it cannot be detected by humans. It is radioluminescent at extremely low temperatures and has a half-life of 3.8 days. Radon has no stable radioactive isotopes.
Medical
Scientific and Industrial
According to a 2009 report of the EPA, Radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer deaths after smoking.
More recent studies show that cumulative radon exposure can cause lung diseases like pulmonary fibrosis, emphysema, and cronic interstitial pneumonia.