Investigators and Program Directors
Michael E. Kitto
Research Scientist, Wadsworth Center, Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry
Assistant Professor, School of Public Health, Environmental Health Sciences
Ph.D., University of Maryland at College Park (1987)
E-mail: kitto@wadsworth.org
Research Interests
Exposure to radon and its decay products accounts for over half of all radiation dose received for the average U.S. citizen. The EPA estimates that the products from decay of indoor radon are responsible for approximately 22,000 lung cancer deaths in the U.S. each year. Indoor-radon studies at the Wadsworth Center have been ongoing since 1985 with the long-term objective of preventing exposure of homeowners to high concentrations of radon. Areas of primary interest include 1) understanding the correlation of surficial geology to indoor radon, 2) identifying high-risk areas in NY State, 3) groundwater, and 4) radon-resistant construction for new homes and buildings, and 5) programs to encourage citizens to test their home for radon, and remediate if necessary.
Currently, we are involved in a project to produce radon-risk maps for New York State, the measurement and mapping of radioactivity (including radon) in groundwater, the distribution of indoor radon detectors to parents of newborns, and the targeting of areas in the State with few indoor measurements for additional measurements. In the mapping project, indoor-radon concentrations for over 50,000 homes have been mapped using geographic information systems and correlated to surficial geology. The indoor concentrations and geology will be used to assign radon risk for each city and town in the State.
The maps will be distributed to local governments, home-related professional groups (e.g., house builders and home inspectors), and real estate offices throughout the State. The maps are a valuable resource for targeting high-risk areas for measurement and mitigation, and for establishing policy regarding real estate transactions and the implementation of radon-resistant building codes. Radon in well water is measured in homes located in high-risk areas. A program to implement radon-resistant new construction techniques by home builders located in high-risk areas is planned using education, training, and cooperative grants.
Related Information
Contact Information
Phone: (518) 486-1476
Fax: (518) 473-2895
E-mail: kitto@wadsworth.org.