An Analysis of Human Exposure to Alpha Particle Radiation

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dc.contributor.advisorGoodarzi, Aaron A.
dc.contributor.authorStanley, Fintan
dc.contributor.committeememberLees-Miller, Susan P.
dc.contributor.committeememberCobb, Jennifer A.
dc.date2019-06
dc.date.accessioned2018-12-18T18:30:34Z
dc.date.available2018-12-18T18:30:34Z
dc.date.issued2018-12-17
dc.description.abstractHigh linear energy transfer (LET) ionizing radiation (IR) is the predominant source of IR humans are exposed to. Radon gas, which emits a high energy alpha-particle, represents the greatest single lifetime source, but also remains comparatively understudied versus low LET IR sources such as x-rays. The inhalation radon (222Rn) gas from indoor air exposes lung tissue to alpha particle radiation, damaging DNA and increasing the lifetime risk of lung cancer. Buildings can concentrate radioactive radon (222Rn) gas to harmful levels. To enable cancer prevention, I examined how Canadian Prairie radon exposure is modified by environmental design and human behavior and evaluated different radon test modalities. I also developed a high-throughput, benchtop alpha-particle irradiation system to facilitate future research into the biological consequences of high LET radiation exposure. Initially, I examined 90+ day radon test results from 2,382 residential homes from an area encompassing 82.5% of the Southern Alberta population. Remediated homes were retested to determine efficacy of radon reduction techniques in this region. Subsequently, 11,726 Alberta and Saskatchewan homes were radon tested, coupled to geographic, design and behavior metrics. Canadian Prairie homes contained 140 Bq/m3 average radon (min <15 Bq/m3; max 7,199 Bq/m3) and 17.8% were ≥ 200 Bq/m3. Geostatistical analysis indicates significant variation between regions. More recently constructed homes contain higher radon versus older. Finally, I also designed and validated a benchtop, 96 well plate-based 241Am irradiation system to expose cultured eukaryotic cells to alpha particles in a controlled environment. My validation of this novel setup includes quantification of nuclear alpha particle-induced DNA damage signalling (γH2AX) using a purpose-designed 3D analysis method, physical readouts of alpha particle-induced DNA damage by alkaline comet assay, and an investigation of cellular viability after alpha particle exposure. This method brings significant advances over existing techniques in its ease of setup and use, affordability, accessibility and flexibility and should enable future alpha particle radiation biology. Collectively, my work demonstrates that radon is a genuine public health concern in the Canadian Prairies, legitimatizes efforts to understand the consequences of radon exposure to the public, and suggest that radon testing and mitigation is likely to be an impactful cancer prevention strategy.en_US
dc.identifier.citationStanley, F. (2018). An Analysis of Human Exposure to Alpha Particle Radiation (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/34988
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1880/109368
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisher.facultyCumming School of Medicineen_US
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.en_US
dc.subject3D-Printingen_US
dc.subjectAlpha Particleen_US
dc.subjectAmericiumen_US
dc.subjectAutomationen_US
dc.subjectCanceren_US
dc.subjectDNA Damageen_US
dc.subjectDNA Repairen_US
dc.subjectHousingen_US
dc.subjectLETen_US
dc.subjectLung Canceren_US
dc.subjectMappingen_US
dc.subjectMutationen_US
dc.subjectNuclearen_US
dc.subjectNucleusen_US
dc.subjectPreventionen_US
dc.subjectPublic Healthen_US
dc.subjectRadiationen_US
dc.subjectRadiation Exposureen_US
dc.subjectRadio-biologyen_US
dc.subjectRadonen_US
dc.subjectTechnology Developmenten_US
dc.subject.classificationBiology--Cellen_US
dc.subject.classificationBiology--Molecularen_US
dc.subject.classificationPublic Healthen_US
dc.subject.classificationChemistry--Radiationen_US
dc.subject.classificationEngineering--Biomedicalen_US
dc.titleAn Analysis of Human Exposure to Alpha Particle Radiationen_US
dc.typedoctoral thesisen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineMedicine – Biochemistry and Molecular Biologyen_US
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgaryen_US
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophy (PhD)en_US
ucalgary.item.requestcopytrue
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