RESUMO
1. What is radon Radon which belongs in the rare gases, is the main element of the radioactive hot spring. As radon is chemically inert, it dose not make any complex with other chemical component present in hot and mineral spring water. There are three kinds of radioactive radon gases in nature, even though the word radon(Rn) often means 222Rn. The two others are thoron(220Rn) and actinon (219Rn) and all of the three are decay products of the natural radioactive chains of Uranium, Thorium and Actinium. Since the half-life of 219Rn is too short (4.0 seconds) and there has been little study done on it. Radon research is presently being performed in environmental science, geochemical science, medical science, physics, biology and technology with many other applications. 2. Japanese radioactive hot spring The Japanese Hot Spring Law defines the radon concentration in hot and mineral spring water as follows. Radon (Rn): 20 x 10-10 Ci/1(74 Bq/l) or over : The concentration for distinguishing mineral spring water from common waters. Radon (Rn): 30 x 10-10 Ci/l(111 Bq/l) or over: Therapeutic spring waters containing specific minerals (radioactive hot spring) However, mineral springs for medical care are not covered by the Japanese Hot Spring Law, but are considered to be the springs that are expected to have a healing effect in view of experience acquired through the medical science on hot springs. The hot and mineral springs distribution map of Japan indicates that the radioactive springs constitute about 8% of the total number of springs. It is well known that the hot spring phenomenon is closely related to the volcanic activity. Hot springs in the volcanic country of Japan are distributed all over the country, while so-called radioactive springs of high radon concentration are mainly distributed in the western half of the Honshu island. In Hiroshima prefecture where the largest number of springs are located, 89.1% of the springs are radioactive springs. Most of the springs in Hiroshima prefecture are cold mineral springs flowing out in the granite areas, mainly from the matrixes consisting of Hiroshima granite. The yield of the radioactive springs in Japan, is 1/2〜l/3 of that of the remaining types of springs and are neutral or weakly alkaline, consisting mainly of simple cold mineral springs including almost no soluble chemical components other than radon. 3. Effects of radon The human body is made up of approximately 60 trillion cells, and the number of cells is known to decline with age. Recent research results show that radon bathing helps reactivate cellular function, thus helping ease symptoms of chronic illnesses and aging. Radon decays continuously until final stable element, Lead(Pb), producing many alpha and beta rays. When radon and its daughters decay, a very strong ionization effect occurs that strongly reboots the body cells function, as a result reactivating body organs as well and raising the physical homeostatic level thus the body system to its original normal healthy state.
RESUMO
Many things are unknown about the radioactive hot springs. We have not yet obtained the conclusive evidence of whether the low dose of radiation by radon in the hot springs is healthful or harmful for us. Thus, to grasp the present conditions of the radioactive hot springs scientifically, I reviewed them from the many-sided viewpoints in the following order. At first, some basic information on the radioactive hot springs was summarized to look around them all over. Next, based on the hot spring analysis tables obtained from three representative hot spring resorts in our country, the effective ingredients such as radon, metals, and several kinds of ions presented in the spring waters were evaluated for each hot spring. Then, radon as an element, the radon exposure, and the active oxygen species generated by the radiation of radon were explained to understand the fundamental action of radon. Furthermore, some reports related to the lung cancer risk by inhaling radon were introduced to take the cancer risk in the radioactive hot springs into consideration. Since the oxidative DNA damage induced by hydroxyl radical is considered to be a cause for cancers, it was discussed that the urinary concentrations of 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), a marker of the DNA damage, could be used as an index for evaluating the effects of the radioactive hot springs on human health.
RESUMO
<b>1. What is radon</b><BR> Radon which belongs in the rare gases, is the main element of the radioactive hot spring. As radon is chemically inert, it dose not make any complex with other chemical component present in hot and mineral spring water.<BR> There are three kinds of radioactive radon gases in nature, even though the word radon(Rn) often means <sup>222</sup>Rn. The two others are thoron(<sup>220</sup>Rn) and actinon (<sup>219</sup>Rn) and all of the three are decay products of the natural radioactive chains of Uranium, Thorium and Actinium. Since the half-life of <sup>219</sup>Rn is too short (4.0 seconds) and there has been little study done on it. <BR> Radon research is presently being performed in environmental science, geochemical science, medical science, physics, biology and technology with many other applications. <BR><b>2. Japanese radioactive hot spring</b><BR> The Japanese Hot Spring Law defines the radon concentration in hot and mineral spring water as follows.<BR> Radon (Rn): 20 x 10-10 Ci/1(74 Bq/l) or over : The concentration for distinguishing mineral spring water from common waters. <BR> Radon (Rn): 30 x 10-10 Ci/l(111 Bq/l) or over: Therapeutic spring waters containing specific minerals (radioactive hot spring)<BR> However, mineral springs for medical care are not covered by the Japanese Hot Spring Law, but are considered to be the springs that are expected to have a healing effect in view of experience acquired through the medical science on hot springs.<BR> The hot and mineral springs distribution map of Japan indicates that the radioactive springs constitute about 8% of the total number of springs. It is well known that the hot spring phenomenon is closely related to the volcanic activity. Hot springs in the volcanic country of Japan are distributed all over the country, while so-called radioactive springs of high radon concentration are mainly distributed in the western half of the Honshu island. In Hiroshima prefecture where the largest number of springs are located, 89.1% of the springs are radioactive springs. Most of the springs in Hiroshima prefecture are cold mineral springs flowing out in the granite areas, mainly from the matrixes consisting of Hiroshima granite.<BR> The yield of the radioactive springs in Japan, is 1/2〜l/3 of that of the remaining types of springs and are neutral or weakly alkaline, consisting mainly of simple cold mineral springs including almost no soluble chemical components other than radon.<BR><b>3. Effects of radon</b><BR> The human body is made up of approximately 60 trillion cells, and the number of cells is known to decline with age. Recent research results show that radon bathing helps reactivate cellular function, thus helping ease symptoms of chronic illnesses and aging.<BR> Radon decays continuously until final stable element, Lead(Pb), producing many alpha and beta rays. When radon and its daughters decay, a very strong ionization effect occurs that strongly reboots the body cells function, as a result reactivating body organs as well and raising the physical homeostatic level thus the body system to its original normal healthy state.
RESUMO
Many things are unknown about the radioactive hot springs. We have not yet obtained the conclusive evidence of whether the low dose of radiation by radon in the hot springs is healthful or harmful for us. Thus, to grasp the present conditions of the radioactive hot springs scientifically, I reviewed them from the many-sided viewpoints in the following order. At first, some basic information on the radioactive hot springs was summarized to look around them all over. Next, based on the hot spring analysis tables obtained from three representative hot spring resorts in our country, the effective ingredients such as radon, metals, and several kinds of ions presented in the spring waters were evaluated for each hot spring. Then, radon as an element, the radon exposure, and the active oxygen species generated by the radiation of radon were explained to understand the fundamental action of radon. Furthermore, some reports related to the lung cancer risk by inhaling radon were introduced to take the cancer risk in the radioactive hot springs into consideration. Since the oxidative DNA damage induced by hydroxyl radical is considered to be a cause for cancers, it was discussed that the urinary concentrations of 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), a marker of the DNA damage, could be used as an index for evaluating the effects of the radioactive hot springs on human health.