Radiation

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Radiation

• Myth versus Reality

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Popular MythsRegarding Radiation Exposure
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We dont swell up and turn green!
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We dont glow in the dark!
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It wont make us mutate or have supernatural
powers!
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So Where is Radiation?

• Every person, plant or animal is radioactive.
• Its in our air, water, soil, galaxy and stars.
• It has always been and shall always be.

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Sources of Radiation

• Man-Made
• Nuclear Power
• Weapons
• Medicine
• Products
• Natural
• Cosmogenic-from the stars
• Terrestrial-uranium and thorium in the ground and
  water

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A Brief History of Radiation Biology

• 1895-Roentgen discovered a new kind of ray
  emitted by gas discharge tubes that could develop
  film in light-tight containers.
• Roentgen and Kolliker take first x-ray
• 1896- x-ray used to locate a piece of a knife in
  the backbone of a sailor
• 1897-Freund removes a mole with x-rays
• Becquerel discovers radioactivity in 1898

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• 1898-Curies separate radium
• Becquerel receives erythema dose
• 1901-Curie repeats by exposing his arm
• 1920s-Radium clock face painters develop bone
  cancer
• 1940s -Fruit fly mutations
• Scientific Conclusion-All Radiation is Bad

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What Do We Know Regarding Chronic Exposure

• Survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki have a lesser
  incidence of cancer and leukemia than the general
  public
• Nuclear Workers at Los Alamos, Hanford, etc. have
  greater longevity and reduced risk of cancer and
  leukemia
• But we assume a linear-non-threshold exposure
  response curve

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What Do We Know Regarding Acute Exposure?

• 50 Rad Blood count changes
• 100 Rad Vomiting Threshold
• 150 Rad Death Threshold
• 320-360 Rad LD 50/30 w/minimal care
• 480-540 Rad LD 50/30 w/supportive care
• 1,100 Rad LD 50/30 w/intensive care
• 2,000 Rad Death within few hours/days

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What Factors are Involved?

• Type of radiation
• Length of Exposure-Chronic vs. Acute
• Age
• Dose Distribution
• Energy of the radiation

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What does this mean to us?

• Our bodies are composed of millions of cells that
  are continuously dying and replaced.
• Excessive exposure to almost anything may result
  in the damage or death of cells.
• Typically, damaged cells repair themselves.
• Sometimes, cells die and are replaced.
• Sometimes their growth cycle is altered.
• Sometimes they mutate
• Some cells are unaffected

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Average Annual Exposure in the U.S.

• Natural
• Radon 200 millirems
• Other 100 millirems
• Medical
• X-rays 39 millirems
• Nuclear Medicine 14 millrems
• Consumer Products
• Tobacco 16,000 millirem to Lungs of smoker
• Other 5-13 millirem
• Nuclear Fuel Cycle 0.05 millirems
• Occupational 0.9 millirems
• Total 360

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Comparative Risks

• Estimated Loss of Life
• 6 years
• 2 years
• 1 year
• 1 year
• 207 days
• 74 days
• 24 days
• 7 days
• 6 days
• 15 days
• 51 days

• Risk
• Smoke 20 cigarettes/day
• Overweight by 15
• Alcohol
• All accidents
• Vehicle accidents
• Home accidents
• Drowning
• Natural Hazards
• Medical Radiation
• Occupation Exposure
• 300 mrem/y from age 18 to 65
• 1000 mrem/y from age 18 to 65

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Risk Associated with Industry

• All industries 60 days
• Agriculture 320 days
• Construction 227 days
• Mining Quarrying 167 days
• Transportation Utilities 160 days
• Government 60 days
• Manufacturing 40 days
• Trade 27 days
• Services 27 days

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Commonly Available Radioactive Items
(demonstration)