Biologic effects of radon exposure
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can pose significant health risks, particularly in indoor environments where it can accumulate to high concentrations. When radon and its radioactive decay products are inhaled, they can decay within the lung. During this process, alpha particles are emitted which are highly ionizing and can severely increase the risk for lung cancer. The Local Effect Model (LEM), initially developed at GSI to quantify the increased effectiveness of ion radiation compared to photon radiation for heavy ion therapy, can also be applied to carcinogenic endpoints. In this context, the competition between radiation-induced mutations and cell inactivation is taken into account, enabling a prediction of relative cancer risks associated with radon exposure. Our current research focuses on the energy dependence of the predictions and the impact of inhomogeneous exposures in the airways.

Publications
Hufnagl A, Scholz M, Friedrich T. Modeling Radiation-Induced Neoplastic Cell Transformation In Vitro and Tumor Induction In Vivo with the Local Effect Model. Radiation Research 195:427-440 (2021). doi:10.1667/rade-20-00160.1
Papenfuß F, Maier A, Sternkopf S, Fournier C, Kraft G, Friedrich T. Radon progeny measurements in a ventilated filter system to study respiratory-supported exposure. Scientific Reports 13:10792 (2023). doi:10.1038/s41598-023-37697-7