Modelling carcinogenic effects of low doses of inhaled radon progenies

In this study, cellular hit probabilities of alpha particles emitted by inhaled radon progenies in sensitive epithelial cell nuclei were simulated at low exposure levels to obtain useful data for the rejection or in support of the linear no-threshold dose-effect hypothesis. In this work, local distributions of deposited inhaled radon progenies in airway bifurcation models were computed at exposure conditions which are characteristic of homes and uranium mines. Then, maximum local deposition enhancement factors, that is, local per average deposition densities, were simulated, and the effects of the inhomogeneity of deposition on hit probabilities were characterised. Our results suggest that in the vicinity of the carinal regions of the central airways the probability of multiple hits can be quite high even at low doses.