TOPIC: HEALTH AND RADIATION POLLUTION

WHAT IS RADIATION?
Radiation is the energy that comes from a source and travels through space at the speed of light. This
energy has an electric field and a magnetic field associated with it, and has wave-like properties. You
could also call radiation
"electromagnetic waves"

WHAT IS RADIOACTIVITY?
Radioactivity is the emission of ionizing radiation or particles caused by the spontaneous
disintegration of atomic nuclei.

Radioactivity is the term used to describe the natural process by which some atoms spontaneously
disintegrate, emitting both particles and energy as they transform into different, more stable atoms.
This process, also called radioactive decay, occurs because unstable isotopes tend to transform into a
more stable state.

WHAT IS AN ATOM?

The smallest part of a substance that cannot be broken down chemically. Each atom has a nucleus
(center) made up of protons (positive particles) and neutrons (particles with no charge). Electrons
(negative particles) move around the nucleus.
Atoms of different elements contain different numbers of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Atoms are the basic building blocks of all matter. Ionizing radiation can come from unstable
(radioactive) atoms or it can be produced by machines. As unstable atoms decay and attempt to
become stable, the nuclei release energy in the form of ionizing radiation (alpha particles, beta
particles and gamma rays). The energy released is called ionizing radiation because it has enough
energy to knock tightly bound electrons from the atom’s orbit. This causes the atom to become a
charged ion.

In the early 20th century, New Zealand scientist Ernest Rutherford conducted an experiment where
he shot relatively large, electrically charged particles (alpha particles) at thin gold foil. He found that
most of the particles passed directly through the foil, but some came off at odd angles as though
they had been deflected. Rutherford concluded that atoms were mostly empty space, but that each
contained a dense region — a central mass that alpha particles could not pass through. He
determined that this central mass must have a positive charge to deflect the positively charged alpha
particles. This is because like charges or magnetic fields (positive to positive or negative to negative)
repel, as demonstrated when trying to place like poles of magnets together (north to north or south
to south).

Rutherford and Danish scientist Niels Bohr developed a way of thinking about the structure of an
atom in which an atom looks like our solar system. At the center of every atom is a nucleus, which is
comparable to the sun. Electrons move around the nucleus in orbits similar to the way planets move
around the sun.

Atoms consist of protons, neutrons and electrons. The nucleus contains protons and neutrons;
together these are called nucleons.
Protons are positively (+) charged particles. Neutrons are electrically neutral and have no electrical
(0) charge. Protons and neutrons are about 1800 times as heavy as an electron, which orbits the
nucleus as a cloud. Electrons are negatively (-) charged and balance the positive electrical charge of
the protons in the nucleus. Scientists’ understanding about atomic structure has continued to
evolve. Yet, we credit the Rutherford-Bohr Theory of Atomic Structure for providing us with a basis
for understanding atomic.

Neutral atoms have the same number of protons (+) and electrons (-). We can use the periodic table,
specifically the atomic number and atomic mass for each element, to determine the structure of
neutral atoms. The atomic number, which is unique for each element, indicates the number of
protons in an atom. For example, all hydrogen atoms have 1 proton, all carbon atoms have 6 protons
and all oxygen atoms have 8 protons. Neutral atoms have the same number of protons and electrons.
Therefore, hydrogen atoms have 1 proton and 1 electron, carbon atoms have 6 protons and 6
electrons and oxygen atoms have 8 protons and 8 electrons.

Atoms are so small that it does not make sense to calculate their mass using the same units we use
every day, like ounces or grams. Early radiation scientists developed the Atomic Mass Unit (AMU) for
calculating atomic mass. The atomic mass indicates the number of nucleons (protons and neutrons).
To calculate the number of neutrons in an atom, we round the atomic mass to the nearest whole
number and subtract the atomic number or number of protons from the atomic mass. For example:
Carbon: 12 (atomic mass) - 6 (atomic number) = 6. The result indicates a carbon atom has 6 neutrons,
6 protons and 6 electrons.

WHY ARE SOME ATOMS RADIOACTIVE?

Radioactive contamination and radiation exposure could occur if radioactive materials are released
into the environment as the result of an accident, an event in nature, or an act of terrorism. Such a
release could expose people and contaminate their surroundings and personal property.

Radioactive Contamination
Radioactive contamination occurs when radioactive material is deposited on or in an object or a
person. Radioactive materials released into the environment can cause air, water, surfaces, soil,
plants, buildings, people, or animals to become contaminated. A contaminated person has
radioactive materials on or inside their body.

How Radioactive contamination is spread?

People who are externally contaminated with radioactive material can contaminate other people or
surfaces that they touch. For example, people who have radioactive dust on their clothing may
spread the radioactive dust when they sit in chairs or hug other people.
People who are internally contaminated can expose people near them to radiation from the
radioactive material inside their bodies. The body fluids (blood, sweat, urine) of an internally
contaminated person can contain radioactive materials. Coming in contact with these body fluids can
result in contamination and/or exposure.

External Contamination
External contamination occurs when radioactive material, in the form of dust, powder, or liquid,
comes into contact with a person's skin, hair, or clothing. In other words, the contact is external to a
person's body. People who are externally contaminated can become internally contaminated if
radioactive material gets into their bodies.
Radiation Exposure
Radioactive materials give off a form of energy that travels in waves or particles.
This energy is called radiation. When a person is exposed to radiation, the energy penetrates the
body. For example, when a person has an x-ray, he or she is exposed to radiation.

People who are externally contaminated can spread the contamination by touching surfaces, sitting
in a chair, or even walking through a house. Contaminants can easily fall from clothing and
contaminate other surfaces.
Homes can also become contaminated with radioactive materials in body fluids from internally
contaminated people. Making sure that others do not come in contact with body fluids from a
contaminated person will help prevent contamination of other people in the household.

How You Can Limit contamination?

Since radiation cannot be seen, smelled, felt, or tasted, people at the site of an incident will not know
whether radioactive materials were involved. You can take the following steps to limit your
contamination.

1. Get out of the immediate area quickly.

Go inside the nearest safe building or to an area to which you are directed by law enforcement or
health officials.
1. Remove the outer layer of your clothing. If radioactive material is on your clothes,
getting it away from you will reduce the external contamination and decrease the risk of internal
contamination. It will also reduce the length of time that you are exposed to radiation.
2. If possible, place the clothing in a plastic bag or leave it in an out-of-the-way area, such
as the corner of a room.
Keep people away from it to reduce their exposure to radiation. Keep cuts and abrasions covered
when handling contaminated items to avoid getting radioactive material in them.
4. Wash all of the exposed parts of your body using lots of soap and lukewarm water to remove
contamination. This process is called decontamination. Try to avoid spreading contamination to parts
of the body that may not be
contaminated, such as areas that were clothed.
5. After authorities determine that internal contamination may have occurred, you may be able to
take medication to reduce the radioactive material in your body.

INHALATION

Chronic (long-term) inhalation exposure to uranium and radon in humans has been linked to
respiratory effects, such as chronic lung disease, while radium exposure has resulted in acute
leukopenia, anemia, necrosis of the jaw, and other effects. Cancer is the major effect of concern from
the radionuclides.

Harmful Effects of Radiation

Radiation can be categorized into non-ionizing or ionizing depending on the radiated particle’s
energy. Radioactive materials that emit α, β, or γ radiation are the common sources of ionizing
radiation. Visible light, microwaves, infrared light, are the common sources of non-ionizing radiation.
Both types of radiation are harmful to health even though they have few advantages.

Radiation exposure can have different effects depending on the dose received. A key factor in
determining the health effects is whether it is chronic or acute. When a dose of radiation is received
at once, then it can be called an acute exposure, and when a small dose of radiation is exposed for a
long period then it is chronic exposure.
Health effects of radiation can be classified into two categories: threshold effects and non-threshold
effects. Threshold effects appear after a certain level of radiation exposure is reached and enough
cells have been damaged to make the effect apparent. Non-threshold effects can occur at lower
levels of radiation exposure.

There are a few common health effects or harmful effects of radiation on the human body.
1. Hair
Loss of hair fall occurs when exposure to radiation is higher than 200 rems.

2. Heart and Brain

Intense exposure to radiation from 1000 to 5000 rems will affect the functioning of the heart.
Radiation kills nerve cells and small blood vessels of heart which may cause immediate death. Brain
cells are affected if the radiation exposure is greater than 5000 rems.
3. Thyroid
Certain body parts are affected specifically when exposed to different types of radiation sources. The
thyroid gland may be affected when exposed to radioactive iodine. If exposed to a considerable
amount of radioactive iodine, whole or part of the thyroid can be affected.

Blood System
A number of lymphocytic cells present in the blood will be reduced if a person is exposed to 100
rems. This may cause several immune problems. This is termed as mild radiation sickness. As per the
reports from Nagasaki and Hiroshima, symptoms may be present more than ten years from that
exposure.
5. Reproductive Tract
As the cells of the reproductive tract divide fastly, these are more prone to be affected even if the
exposure is not more than 200 rems.

Effects of Radiation Pollution

In reproductive cells, ionizing radiation damages the genetic material and results in mutations that
are transmitted from generation to generation. The mutagenic effects of radiation were first
recognized in the 1920s, and since that time radiation has been used as an important means in
genetic research to obtain new mutations in experimental organisms.

Protective Measures
The objective of radiation protection is to protect people and the environment against the harmful
effects of ionizing radiation. This is achieved through a process called risk assessment which involves
1. Identifying the hazard
2. estimating the size of the risk and
3. Assessing its importance in comparison with other risks.
The results of the risk assessment should be recorded appropriately and used as the basis for making
decisions about how to manage the risk. Finally, each risk assessment needs to be reviewed and
updated periodically and when new equipment or work practices are introduced.

WHAT HAPPENS TO INHALED RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS?

Radioactive particles inhaled and deposited in the lungs cause an irradiation of bronchial/alveolar
tissues. At the worst, this results in a malignant cellular transformation and, as a consequence of
that, the development of lung cancer.