Thawing permafrost in Arctic could release cancer-causing gas: Study

A gas that causes lung cancer could be released into Arctic communities by permafrost that is thawing as a result of the climate crisis, experts said.

According to a recent University of Leeds study, the influence of rising temperatures might lead to substantially greater amounts of radon – a rare radioactive gas – exposure.

Permafrost, defined as terrain that has been frozen for at least two years, has historically prevented the carcinogen from reaching the surface and invading structures. However, when the climate crisis leads it to melt, experts believe its function as a protective barrier may change.

The study simulated the movement of radon in the soil, permafrost, and model buildings, claiming that it was responsible for one out of every ten lung cancer fatalities. It was discovered that thawing had no effect on buildings constructed on typical piles, but that it increased radon exposure in basements by more than 100 times its original value. According to the researchers, this was the case for up to seven years.

Professor Paul Glover of the University of Leeds’ School of Earth & Environment said: ‘Radon is known to be the second most important cause of lung cancer after smoking. Smoking also exacerbates radon-acquired lung cancer rates by about 26 times, and smoking is up to 4.4 times more prevalent in Arctic communities’.

He added: ‘Consequently, an unexpected plume of radon could represent a dangerous health hazard if it is not planned for’.

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According to the principal author of the study, which was published in the journal Advancing Earth and Space Science, ventilation is generally enough to remedy the problem. Previous research has warned of the risks of melting permafrost in the Arctic as temperatures rise, including the release of stored carbon into the atmosphere.

Other researchers discovered last month that the rapid thawing of Arctic permafrost might release other potentially deadly things, such as radioactive trash from Cold War nuclear submarines and antibiotic-resistant microbes.