Radon

Radon (Rn) — 10-Year Trends

As of 2026-09-25 · the last 10 years

Radon’s research intensity currently sits at about 80% of its own all-time peak, a level reached after a steady decline from the start of this window.

Research intensity ran from about 96% of the element's own all-time peak in 2016 to about 80% in 2026 — a steady decline, and the all-time peak (2015) lies before this window. Over the same span its share of research attention across all elements fell. Among the 118 elements, radon has a mid-sized research literature.

The number of papers involving the element rose from about 4,751 in 2016 to about 8,092 in 2025 (1.7x). That is slower than the literature as a whole grew over the same years, so the element lost ground in the wider body of research even as its own count rose.

The dominant area of radon research is Indoor Radon Exposure, Natural Radioactivity and Lung Cancer Risk. Here, radon is central to the community, with about 40% of its papers involving the element. This work focuses on radon levels, exhalation rates, and effective dose assessments, particularly in the context of drinking water and indoor air quality. It accounts for about 68% of radon’s recent research, a share that has remained steady over the last decade. A key paper in this area is "Epidemiology of lung cancer" (2021), cited over 890 times, which examines the link between exposure and disease risk.

A distinct, mathematical application of the name appears in Radon Transform Algorithms in Inverse Problem Solving. In this context, radon is a minor presence in a much larger community, with only about 10% of its papers involving the element. These papers develop discrete and generalized Radon transform methods for image reconstruction, target detection, and seismic data analysis. This community represents about 16% of radon’s recent research, a share that has held steady. The 2020 text "The RADON TRANSFORM and LOCAL TOMOGRAPHY," cited over 300 times, serves as a foundational reference for these computational methods.

A smaller, specialized niche exists within Soil Biogeochemistry of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Carbon Cycles. While radon is not central to this broader field, it is used as a tracer to study groundwater discharge and nutrient inputs. This community accounts for about 3% of radon’s recent research, a share that has remained steady. A notable recent contribution is "Radon-222 as a groundwater discharge tracer to surface waters" (2023), cited over 110 times, which illustrates this specific application.

Overall, the composition of radon research has remained remarkably stable. The indoor exposure and lung cancer community continues to hold the largest share, while the mathematical and biogeochemical applications maintain their smaller, steady proportions. Other research communities collectively account for about 13% of the element's recent work.

For a deeper look at the current state of radon research, including the most recent monthly trends and executive summaries, consult the element's current-standing reports.