Radiation and life

http://www.world-nuclear.org/education/ral.htm
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 Context
• Basic knowledge on radiation science
– Non-ionizing radiation
– Ionizing radiation
• Radiation and life
• Basic radiation chemistry
• Basic radiobiology
• Radiation effects on human
• Radiation protection
• Radiation dosimetry 2
 What is radiation?
• Radiation is a very general term, used to
describe any process that transmits energy
through space or a material away from a
source.1
• The energy can be in form of particles and
electromagnetic waves.2
• Radiation can be divided into ionizing
radiations and non-ionizing radiations.3
1. The president’s advisory committee, 1995. The Human Radiation Experiments, Oxford University, New York, p17.
2. J. M. Shuler, 2006. Understanding Radiation Science: Basic Nuclear and Health Physics, Universal, P1.
3. K. N. Prasad, 2012. Radiation Injury prevention and Mitigation in Humans, CRC Press, New York, P7. 3
 Types of radiations
• Light, sound and radio waves are all examples of
radiation. ค นแ เห กไฟ า
• Radiations can be separated in electromagnetic
radiations and particulate radiations.
• Electromagnetic radiation consists of both and an
electric and a magnetic field, which propagate through
space such as x-rays, gamma rays, visible light, radio
waves etc.
• Particulate radiation refers to particles that are eject
from atom at very high speeds and have high energies
such as alpha, beta proton and neutron.
E. Seeram and E. L. Travis, 1997. Radiation Protection, Lippincott, pp27-31.
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 มวล
& พ งงาน

Mass and energy

• One of the striking results of Einstein’s theory
of relativity is that mass and energy are
equivalent and convertible, one into the other.
E rest  m0 c 2

E rest  energy
m 0  rest mass
c  speed of light
* The rest mass is the mass of the body measured when it is at rest.

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 Atomic mass unit
• Atomic mass unit (u or amu) is defined as one-
twelfth the mass of the neutral 12C atom.1
• 1 mole of 12C is defined as weighing exactly
12.000 g.1
• What is the mass of 12C atom?
• What is the mass of neutron?
• What is the mass of proton?
• What is the mass of electron?
• What is the mass of 1 amu?

1. J. E. Martin, 2006., Physics for Radiation Protection, 2nd ed, Wiley, p10. 6
 Example
• Calculate the amount of energy potentially
available from the complete annihilation of 1
g of matter.
E rest  m0 c 2
E rest  energy, m 0  1 g , c  2.9979  1010 cm/s

E rest  1g  2.9979  10 cm s
10

2

E rest  8.9874 10 20 g  cm 2 s 2

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 The Mysterious World of Radiation
~ ง เ ด การ บ ว

What kind of technique is used ?

เทน

ช ด ยสามารถ วางแผนการ ใ ย ไ

↳Solid State

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 Imaging plate technique

A film-like radiation image sensor

composed of specifically designed
phosphors that trap and store the
radiation energy.

A shielding box made of thick lead

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 What kind of technique is used ?
อ ธา เบา

~ าย วย neutronไว

-> neutron

จะเฉพาะเจาะจง

บHydrogen

-> เ อ species
ของ สม ช.

The images are based on the

neutron attenuation properties
of the imaged object.
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 The X-ray imaging technique
New Discovery by X-rays ค.หนาแ น
+ าย ต ง

A Buddhist statue with hidden internal

organs were found in Japan.

3D imaging by advanced CT scan

CT (Computed Tomography) can produce three
dimensional images of the human body by using
X-rays. +วางแผนการ กษาไ

Kidneys
Artificial Blood Vessel 11
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 Natural Radiation Source
From Outer Space From Air

Radon (Rn)
Cosmic rays

From the Ground(rocks and soil) From Foods

Uranium(U),
Potassium
Thorium(Th),etc.
(K)
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 Radiation in daily life
5 จาก น น
gamma rays
1.61

Ginza, Tokyo
Concrete building

Domestic flight
cosmic rays
#

Underground mall

International flight (11000 m)

↳จาก อวกาศ วร
ร
Dose rate (μSv/h)

0.15

(5000 m)
·

Wooden house ฐ
ป
เ -

& /
เล

:
0.10 เอ
ส %

เร
:
ร

เร
·เรง 0.05
sea

สถานการ
าง
Note : 1 mSv is 1000 μSv and 1 μSv/h is 8.76 mSv/ year. ๆ

Source : Radiation Science Center, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization “Handbook for
radiation in daily life” (2005) 13
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 Atoms and Nucleus

Matter Atom Nucleus

Proton

Nucleus
Neutron

Electron

An atom size : about 1/100 million time of 1 cm

A nucleus size : 1/1 trillion time (1/1000,000,000,000=10-12) of 1 cm
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 Radiation from Atoms
Radiation is the emission of energy in the form of waves or particles.
Charged particles Electro-magnetic waves

 Small particle with high speed  Travel like wave

Nucleus (Nucleus of helium)

Gamma-rays
Alpha-rays Nucleus

Nucleus (Electron)
Beta-rays

Alpha-rays and beta-rays behave like particles.

X-rays and gamma-rays behave like waves. 15
 -15 -14 -13 -12 -11 -10 -9
Wavelength 10 m 10 m 10 m 10 m 10 m 10 m 10 m

Gamma(γ)-ray X-ray

Electro-magnetic waves

Inhibiting sprouting

medical apparatus

Synchrotron Radiation
with high energy or high

X-ray Photography
Sterilization of
Examples

frequency are called

of potato
Major

“Radiation”

CT
Frequency 23 22 21 20 19 18 17
10 Hz 10 Hz 10 Hz 10 Hz 10 Hz 10 Hz 10 Hz

-8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 2 3
10 m 10 m 10 m 10 m 10 m 10 m 10 m 10 m 1m 10m 10 m 10 m
(1mm) (1cm) (10cm) (1km)

0.4μm 0.8μm

SaunaFar Infrared ray

MF
Infrared ray
Incandescent Visible ray
UV

Microwave

FM Radio / Wireless

Short-wave
Broadcasting
Microwave
TV / Mobile /
Electric wave

AM Radio
Germicidal lamp

light
Fluorescent

TV RC / FIR Camera

thermometer
Noncontact

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10 Hz
15
10 Hz
14
10 Hz
13
10 Hz
12
10 Hz
(1THz)
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10 Hz
10
10 Hz
9
10 Hz
(1GHz)
8
10 Hz
7
10 Hz 166
10 Hz
(1MHz)
The Basic Knowledge
of Radiation

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 Radioactive Material, Radioactivity and Radiation

Radioactive A material emitting

Light Bulb Material
radiation

A property to
give light Radioactivity The emitting property

ง ตก าง

Light Radiation ง วไหลไ จ ง

เพราะ ง อ แ วธรรมชา
ใน

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 Periodic Table
1H, 2H, 3H

http://www.ptable.com/?lang=en 19
 Indication of Isotopes
Nucleus
A : Mass Number
(the sum of Z and number of neutrons)
A
Proton
Z M
Z : Atomic Number M : Symbol of atom
Neutron (number of protons)

Name Atomic No. Mass No. Example

Stable Isotope(1H)
Isotope Same Different
Radioisotope (3H)

Isobar Different Same 14C and 14N, etc.

Isomer Same Same 99Tc and 99mTc, etc.

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 The Example of Isotopes

Isotope Abundance Ratio Half-Life Mass(u)

1
H 99.9852% Stable 1.0078250
2
H 0.0148% Stable 2.0141017
3
H ― 12.3yrs 3.0160492
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 Radioactive decay
Radionuclides emit radiations during radioactive decay.

α / β particles
unstable γ-ray emission
neuclear radiation

Radionuclide
An unstable nucleus spontaneously decomposes to form a different nucleus,
giving off radiation in the form of particles or high energy rays.
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 ล า

α decay

Alpha decay 4 2
2 He Proton
Neutron A : Mass Number +
A
A-4 Z M
Z-2 Z : Atomic Number
M : Symbol of atom
Usually, it happens in larger and heavier atoms

2
4
2 Np 
 233
91 Pa  He
4
2
2
243
95 Am 
 239
93 Np  He 4
2
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b decay
A : Mass Number +
e-
A
Z M
Z : Atomic Number
neutron rich
Z+1 M : Symbol of atom
(unstable)

n p
90
38  Y  e 
Sr  90
39
-

• Beta decay occurs in a nucleus • One of the neutron is

with too many neutrons transformed to proton

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-ray emission
แกม

Beta-rays
Gamma-rays

Higher energy state stabilized

• Nucleus changes from a higher energy state to a lower
energy state.
• The number of protons and neutrons remain unchanged.
• Emitted radiation from most radioactive nuclides along
with alpha or beta particles
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 Penetrating properties of
Radiation
Radiation Types

Stop α-rays Stop β-rays Stop γ and X-rays Stop neutron

Alpha (α)
Beta (β)
Gamma (γ)-rays
X-rays
Neutrons
Aluminum sheet Lead/Iron plate
Paper Water/Concrete
(Thin metal sheet) (Thick plate)

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 Units for Radiation
Becquerel (Bq=S-1)
The number of radiation emission from the radioactive isotope per unit time.

นก เ ด ง
Radioactive
Radiation
Material

Sievert (Sv)
The biological effect of radiation on the human body.

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 Half-life of Radioactive
าค ง ต- า เฉพาะ ของ ง แ ละช ด

Half-life : The time in which the amount of radioactivity is reduced by half

of its initial value.
1 Initial value  1
n

At  A0   
2
t
Radioactivity (A)

n 
half - life
1/2
A0 = Initial Radioactivity
Half-life At = Radioactivity at time

1/4
Half-life
1/8 Half-life
1/16 Half-life
Time (t) 28
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 Half-life of some radionuclides
Radioactive elements Radiation* Half-life

Thorium-232 α, β, γ 14.1 billion years

Uranium-238 α, β, γ 4.5 billion years
Potassium-40 β, γ 1.3 billion years
Carbon-14 β 5,730 years
Caesium-137 β, γ 30 years
Strontium-90 β 28.7 years
Cobalt-60 β, γ 5.3 years
Caesium-134 β, γ 2.1 years
Iodine-131 β, γ 8 days
Radon-220 α, γ 55.6 sec
*Including radiation from decay products (a nucleus changes to other nucleus by releasing radiation)

Question
The law of half-life is used to estimate the age of old organic materials.
Which element is used for the age estimation? How can it be used? 29
 Half-life of Radioactive Elements
- Radiocarbon Dating -
14C is made in the air by cosmic rays
14N + n → 14C + p
Half life: 5730 years
The abundance ratio in the atmosphere
12C: 98.89%
13C: 1.11%
14C: 0.0000000001%
Earthenware
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 Effective Half Life

1 1 1
 
Te Tp Tb

Effective half life (Te) : the actual half life in the body

Physical half life (Tp): the half life by radioactive decay

Biological half life (Tb): the half life by metabolism and excretion

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 Some examples of decay scheme

 Cesium-137  Iodine-131
137 131
55 Cs 94.4% 53I 7%

8 days β-rays
Max. energy of 0.334MeV
30.17 years 90%
β-rays
5.6% 0.514MeV β-rays γ-rays
0.606 MeV 0.66 MeV
1.176 MeV γ-rays
2.6 min 0.662 MeV γ-rays
0.634 MeV

Tp : 30.17 years
Xe (Xenon)
Tp: 8 days
Tb : 100 days
137
56 Ba (Barium) Tb:80 days
131
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MeV
 M (mega-) = 106
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 eV = the amount of energy that single electron gains by accelerating in
electrical potential difference of 1 V.
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