Is All Granite Radioactive

Radon is an odorless colorless gas produced by the breakdown of uranium that seeps out of the earth more commonly in some places on the planet than others.

Is all granite radioactive.

The story here appears to be that some granite countertops have been found to emit high levels of radon a strongly carcinogenic natural radioactive element. After all there are always exceptions to the rule. Granite contains radioactive materials. Granite is a natural source of radiation like most natural stones.

Radon is a radioactive gas that is naturally found in granite due to the decay of radium to radon. On our planet we are surrounded by radiation from the sun machines airplanes the. Like all rocks granite may contain naturally occurring radioactive elements like radium uranium and thorium. It is relieving to hear that the radioactive levels in granite and marble are too small to be of any concern but all construction materials in general emit a small amount of radon gas which is radioactive and can easily accumulate in poorly ventilated buildings.

While radon gas and radiation emission levels attributable to granite are not typically high there are simply too many variables to generalize about the emissions from granite countertops. The lowdown on granite radiation. Some pieces of granite may contain more of these elements than others. Potassium 40 is a radioactive isotope of weak emission and a constituent of alkali feldspar which in turn is a common component of granitic rocks more abundant in alkali feldspar granite and syenites.

It forms as a result of magma cooling over millions of years under intense pressure and heat. These radioactive elements are solids but over time they may decay into radon says the environmental protection agency epa. However it is undeniable that granite does contain radioactive materials some more so than others do. Granite is the most abundant type of natural stone in the world.

However keep in mind that avoiding granite countertops does not mean you avoid radiation or radon gas emissions in your home. Inhaling the accumulated radon could give rise to small degree of radiation. Granites can contain parts per billion of radium providing for an extremely small amount of. Granite like any other stone may contain veins of naturally occurring radioactive elements like uranium thorium and their radioactive decay products.

The fact is that all minerals and stones including those found in most types of granite are somewhat radioactive. These trace concentrations may vary from stone to stone or even within a single slab of granite.