GLT 111

UNDERSTAND RADIATION

GLT 111 Mr. S.G. Abisoye

 Understand Radiation

Definition
• Radiation is the energy that comes from a source and travels
through space and may be able to penetrate various materials.

Ionizing Radiation

• Radiation is often categorized as:

Non-ionizing Radiation

GLT 111 Mr. S.G. Abisoye

Non-ionizing Radiation

What is Non-ionizing Radiation?

It is relatively low-energy radiation that doesn’t have enough energy to ionize
atoms or molecules

Types of Non-ionizing Radiation

• Near Ultraviolet radiation
• Visible light
• Infrared
• Microwave
• Radio waves
Etc.

GLT 111 Mr. S.G. Abisoye

Ionizing Radiation
What is Ionizing Radiation?
• It is a radiation that has enough energy to liberate electrons from an atom,
thereby leaving the atom charged.
• It is a radiation that causes ionization.

Types of Ionizing Radiation

• Gamma ray
• X-ray
• Alpha particles
• Beta particles
• Neutron beams
• Proton beams
GLT 111 Mr. S.G. Abisoye
Types of Ionizing Radiation

Alpha Particle
 Consist of two protons and two neutrons
 Can be considered as Helium (He) nuclei
 Charged particle (2+)
 Emitted by some of the isotopes of the heaviest elements

GLT 111 Mr. S.G. Abisoye

Types of Ionizing Radiation

Beta Particle
 It is an electron emitted by an unstable nucleus.
 The electron emitted in the beta decay is NOT an orbital electron.
 Beta emission occurs when a neutron changes to a proton and in the process (to
conserve charge) throws off an electron.

GLT 111 Mr. S.G. Abisoye

Types of Ionizing Radiation

Gamma ray
 Gamma rays are waves, not particles. This means that they have no mass and no
charge
 In Gamma decay:
 Atomic number unchanged
 Atomic mass unchanged
 Gamma rays are NOT deflected in a magnetic field.
 Gamma radiation frequently accompany the emission of alpha and beta radiation
during radioactive decay.
X-Ray
 X-rays are a form of radiation similar to gamma radiation
 But they are produced mainly by artificial means rather than from radioactive
substances

GLT 111 Mr. S.G. Abisoye

Types of Ionizing Radiation

GLT 111 Mr. S.G. Abisoye

 Types of Ionizing Radiation
Electric Field

• Magnetic field

A radioactive source is a known quantity

of a radionuclide which emits ionizing
GLT 111 Mr. S.G. Abisoye
radiation.
Major sources of public exposure to natural
radiation
Exposure from cosmic radiation: cosmic radiation consists of
fast moving particles that exist in space and originate from a variety
of sources, including the sun and other celestial events in the
universe. Cosmic rays are mostly protons, but can be other particles
or wave energy. Some ionizing radiation penetrates the earth's
atmosphere and becomes absorbed by humans, which results in
natural radiation exposure.
Exposure from terrestrial radiation: The composition of the
earth's crust is a major source of natural radiation. The main
contributors are natural deposits of uranium, potassium and thorium
which, in the process of natural decay, release small amounts of
ionizing radiation.

GLT 111 Mr. S.G. Abisoye

Major sources of public exposure to natural
radiation
Exposure through inhalation: Most of the variation in exposure to
natural radiation results from inhalation of radioactive gases that are
produced by radioactive minerals found in soil and bedrock e.g. radon and
thoron. Radon and thoron are produced by the decay of uranium-238 and
thorium respectively. Once released into the air, these gases normally dilute
to harmless levels in the atmosphere, but sometimes they become trapped
and accumulate inside buildings where they are inhaled by occupants.
Exposure through ingestion: Trace amounts of radioactive minerals are
naturally found in the contents of food and drinking water. For instance,
vegetables are typically cultivated in soil and ground water which contains
radioactive minerals. Once ingested, these minerals result in internal
exposure to natural radiation. Naturally occurring radioactive isotopes, such
as potassium-40 and carbon-14, have the same chemical and biological
properties as their non-radioactive isotopes.
GLT 111 Mr. S.G. Abisoye
Artificial sources of radiation

Atmospheric Testing: The atmospheric testing of atomic weapons from

the end of the Second World War until as late as 1980 released radioactive
material, called fallout, into the air. As the fallout settled to the ground, it
was incorporated into the environment. Much of the fallout had short half-
lives and no longer exists, but some continues to decay to this day. People
and the environment receive smaller and smaller doses from the fallout
every year.
Medical sources: Radiation has many uses in medicine. The most well
known use is in X-ray machines, which use radiation to find broken bones
and diagnose disease. Another example is nuclear medicine, which uses
radioactive isotopes to diagnose and treat diseases such as cancer.

GLT 111 Mr. S.G. Abisoye

Artificial sources of radiation

Industrial source: Radiation has a variety of industrial uses that ranges

from nuclear gauges used to build roads to density gauges that measure
the flow of material through pipes in factories. It is also used in smoke
detectors and some glow-in-the dark exit signs, and to estimate reserves in
oil fields.
Nuclear fuel cycle: Nuclear power plants (NPPs) use uranium to drive a
chain reaction that produces steam, which in turn drives turbines to produce
electricity. As part of their normal activities, NPPs release regulated levels of
radioactive material which can expose people to low doses of radiation.
Similarly, uranium mines, fuel fabrication plants and radioactive waste
facilities release some radioactivity that contributes to the dose of the
public.

GLT 111 Mr. S.G. Abisoye

Radioactive Sources
Sealed Radioactive Sources
A sealed radioactive source is a radioactive substance that is permanently
sealed in a capsule, or closely bound in a solid form, so as to prevent
escape or dispersion of the radioactive substance, and allow the emission of
ionizing radiation. Sealed radioactive sources are widely used for beneficial
purposes in medicine, industry, and agriculture.
Unsealed Radioactive Sources
Unsealed sources are radioactive materials that are not enclosed or fixed in
a solid form, such as liquids, gases, or powders. They can be easily
dispersed, spilled, or transferred during handling or processing. Unsealed
sources are often used for tracer studies, radiochemistry, or biological
research. Some examples of unsealed sources are radioisotopes,
radiopharmaceuticals, or radon gas.
GLT 111 Mr. S.G. Abisoye
Precautions for Using Radioactive
Material
• Minimize the time spent near radioactive materials.
• Keep as much distance between yourself and the radiation source(s)
as possible.
• Wear personal protective equipment. The minimum requirements
include a laboratory coat, gloves, safety glasses and close-toed shoes.
• Change your gloves often. Assume gloves are contaminated until
proven otherwise. Do not leave the laboratory or touch things outside
of the work space. Remove gloves carefully from the inside out.
Ensure that gloves are disposed of properly and wash hands
immediately.
GLT 111 Mr. S.G. Abisoye
Precautions for Using Radioactive
Material
• Use remote handling devices (forceps or tongs) to handle stock vials,
sources, or potentially contaminated items.
• Do not eat, drink, smoke, chew gum, or touch exposed areas of skin
while working in a room where radioisotopes are handled. Be careful
not to rub your eyes, scratch exposed areas of skin, or touch your hair.
• Use automatic or remote pipetting devices. NEVER pipette by mouth

GLT 111 Mr. S.G. Abisoye

Basic Radiation Terms

Radiation-absorbed dose (rad)

The amount of energy (from any type of ionizing radiation) deposited in
any medium (e.g., water, tissue, air).
Maximum permissible dose (MPD)
The upper limit of allowed radiation dose that one may receive without
the risk of significant side effects.
Roentgen
The roentgen measures the amount of ionization in the air caused by
radioactive decay of nuclei.
In non-bony biological tissue, one roentgen is the equivalent of about 0.93
rad. In air, one roentgen equals 0.87 rad.
GLT 111 Mr. S.G. Abisoye
Basic Radiation Terms

Dose conversion factors (DCFs)

are used to convert an amount of radioactivity (expressed in curies or becquerels)
breathed or ingested by a person into a dose (expressed in rems and sieverts).
Disintegrations per second (dps)
The number of subatomic particles (e.g. alpha particles) or photons (gamma rays)
released from the nucleus of a given atom over one second.
One dps = 60 dpm (disintegrations per minute).
Curie (Ci)
The traditional unit of radioactivity, equal to the radioactivity of one gram of pure
radium-226.
Becquerels (Bq)
The standard international unit of radioactivity equal to one disintegration per
second.
GLT 111 Mr. S.G. Abisoye