1. The importance of acute radiation syndrome are associated with radiation exposure?

Which one we can treat? How can we measure?

Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS) is a severe illness that is caused by the exposure to
ionizing radiation of an entire body with a high dose of radiation over a short period. The
decrease of stem cells in particular tissues is the main cause of this syndrome. For example, in
1954, people who suffered from acute radiation syndrome in Hiroshima and Nagasaki are the
victims. In ARS, there are three classics of death mostly in the mammals were associated. They
are:

 Cerebrovascular syndrome
 Gastro-intestinal syndrome
 Hematopoietic syndrome

1. Cerebrovascular Syndrome:

This syndrome will occur with a high dose greater than approximately 100 Gy (i.e.10,000
rads) of gamma rays. Death likely is due to collapse of the circulatory system as well as
increased pressure in the confining cranial vault as the result of increased fluid content caused by
edema, vasculitis, and meningitis. The mode of death happens within 24 to 48 hours after
radiation exposure. The symptoms with a level of radiation dosage can cause severe nausea,
vomiting, respiratory distress, coma and leads to death.

2. Gastro-intestinal Syndrome:

GI syndrome will usually occur with a dose greater than approximately 10 Gy (1000
rads) although some symptoms may occur as low as 6 Gy or 600 rads. Survival is extremely
unlikely with this syndrome and this cannot be treated. Destructive and irreparable changes in
the GI tract and bone marrow usually cause infection, dehydration, and electrolyte imbalance.
Death usually occurs within 2 weeks. After the irradiation, it does not occur until 9 to 10 days in
humans. The symptoms are usually regarded as prolonged diarrhea, losing weight, dehydration.

3. Hematopoietic Syndrome:

This is also known as Bone Marrow Syndrome which usually occurs with lower doses
from 2.5 to 5 Gy (500 rads) as a result of radiation exposure to the hematopoietic cells. The
mitotic precursor cells are sterilized by the radiation were sterilized and it decreases the supply
of Red Blood Cells, White Blood Cells, and platelets. The symptoms are bleeding, anemia
caused by hemorrhage as a result of platelet depression. The survival rate of patients with this
syndrome decreases with increasing doses. The primary cause of death is the destruction of the
bone marrow, resulting in infection and hemorrhage. If the bone marrow has begun to regenerate
within a time, death occurs in this stage.

Phases of Acute Radiation Syndrome:

1. Prodromal Stage:

The classic symptoms for this stage are nausea, vomiting, as well as anorexia and
possibly diarrhea which occur from minutes to days following exposure. The symptoms may last
for minutes up to several days.

2. Latent Stage:

In this stage, the main consequences of radiation exposure leads to lethal effects, fatigue,
tiredness, ulceration in mouth, and epilation. It looks and feels generally healthy for a few hours
or even up to a few weeks.

3. Manifest Illness Stage:

In this stage the symptoms depend on the specific syndrome and last from hours up to
several months. At this period that affected the hematopoietic, cerebrovascular and gastro-
intestinal systems becomes visible.

4. Recovery or Death Stage:

Most of them who do not recover will die within several months of exposure. The
recovery process lasts from several weeks up to two years.
3. What is half-life of radioisotope? Do all radioisotopes decay to produce more radioactive
materials, is it universally true? Support your answer with suitable example. List out seven
radioisotopes taught in class and explain please.

The half-life of a radioactive isotope is the time required for one-half of the radioactive
isotope to decay. It is also the time interval over which half of the nuclei in a large sample will
disintegrate. For example, cobalt-60, which has a half-life of 5.27 years, 50% remains after 5.27
years (one half-life), 25% remains after 10.54 years (two half-lives), 12.5% remains after 15.81
years (three half-lives), and it goes on.

When radioactive isotopes are decayed they may lose their electrons and protons in the
atom and then it changes from one element to other isotope elements. Whether the isotope can be
either stable or unstable to decay. This takes place continuously in a long radioactive chain. An
unstable form of a radioactive element that releases by breaking to become stable is called a
radionuclide. When radioisotopes get decay, radionuclide converts into different atoms forms as
a decay product. These atoms maintain transforming to form a new product till it becomes stable
and has no longer effect on the radioisotopes.

For example, a nucleus of Uranium-238 decays to form a daughter nucleus, thorium by

emitting an alpha particle. This thorium changes into Protactinium-234 and then it undergoes the
emission of beta decay to produce Uranium-234. Then slowly it changes into Thorium-230, but
another unstable nucleus. With the help of alpha emission, Thorium-230 turns into Radium-226,
Radon-222, Polonium-218, and Lead-214. The emission of beta particles, the lead is decayed
into Bismuth-214 and Polonium-214. A Lead-206 decay chain can only stop the formation of a
stable nucleus. At the fourteen stages, it occurs stable when lead-214 has finally been produced.

Seven Radioisotopes and its uses:

Radioactive
Applications
Isotopes
Uranium-238 Fuel for nuclear power plants and naval nuclear propulsion systems…
and used to produce fluorescent glassware, a variety of colored glazes
and wall tiles.
Cobalt-60 Used to sterilize surgical instruments…and to improve the safety and
reliability of industrial fuel oil burners. Used in cancer treatment, food
irradiation, gauges, and radiography.
Polonium-210 Reduces the static charge in production of photographic film Polonium-
210 and other materials.
Nickel-63 Used to detect explosives, and in voltage regulators and current surge
protectors in electronic devices, and in electron capture detectors for
gas chromatographs.
Iodine-131 Major diagnostic tool used in clinical tests and to diagnose Iodine-125
 thyroid disorders. Also used in biomedical research.
Tritium It is used in a medical and scientific setting as a radioactive tracer.
Tritium is also used as a nuclear fusion fuel, along with more
abundant deuterium, and in hydrogen bombs.
Phosphorus-32 Used in molecular biology and genetics research.