Radiation Protection - Saraniecki

Question 1

What is ionizing radiation?

Answer 1

radiation capable of producing ions when interacting with matter
x rays
alpha
beta
gamma
cosmic rays

Question 2

What is nonionizing radiation?

Answer 2

radiation that does not carry enough energy to completely remove an electron from atom or molecule

Question 3

What are some nonionizing radiation sources?

Answer 3

UV
vis light
IR
microwaves
radio and TV

Question 4

Describe alpha particles
mass?
effects?
hazards?
spectrum?
protection?

Answer 4

mass: large with +2 charge
effects: short range, 1mm into paper or plastic
hazards: if ingested or inhaled, 20x more dangerous than beta and gamma
not part of electromagnetic spectrum due to it having mass
protection: sunglasses, paper

Question 5

Describe beta particles
mass and charge?
hazards?
ionization radiation?
protection?

Answer 5

small mass, charge of -1
fast moving, travels up to 2 meters in air
hazards: skin burns
not part of electromagnetic spectrum, slower than speed of light and has mass
protection: stay away from industrial devices

Question 6

Describe gamma rays
ionizing?
mass?
protection?

Answer 6

no mass or charge, pure energy
ionizing radiation or high frequency
very penetrating
protection: time, distance, shielding

Question 7

Describe x ray photons
comparative to gamma?

Answer 7

identical to gamma aside from less penetrating

Question 8

Describe neutrons in terms of radiation

Answer 8

penetrates most material, causes radioactivity in tissues and materials
the most dangerous and severe radiation

Question 9

Where is most neutron exposure found?

Answer 9

nature
cosmic neutrons collide with atmospheric nitrogen - carbon-14 absorbed by plants, we eat the plants

Question 10

What are the four things that may happen when radiation strikes the skins?

Answer 10

pass right thru
damage cell, but cell repairs
damage cell, cell reproduces damaged version for years
kills cell

Question 11

What do alpha and beta particles do in the body?

Answer 11

if inhaled or digested, their ionizing energy only stays in the body until excreted

Question 12

What do gamma and x rays do to the body?

Answer 12

usually escape without damaging cells

Question 13

How long does nuclear medicine stay in our body?

Answer 13

half life 6 hours

Question 14

what is a film badge personal dosimenter?

Answer 14

dilm is sensitive to radiation, sent to lab for interpretation, permanent life dose because effects are accumulative

Question 15

What does a direct personal radiation dosimeter do?

Answer 15

measures absorbed dose of ionizing radiation beta, gamma, or xray over period of time

Question 16

What are the 3 R’s of Dose exposure?

Answer 16

REM - Roentgen Equivalent in Man - biological effects on tissues in humans
RAD - radiation absorbed dose - absorbed dose of any material, no biological effects considered
Roetngen - exposure to gamma or xrays via air

Question 17

How does exposure relate to time?

Answer 17

time dependent
5 rem in one hour is much worse that 5 rem in 8 hours

Question 18

What are the four radiation countermeasures we can take?

Answer 18

Potassium Iodide - protects thyroid
Prussian blue - prevents cesium and thallium reabsorption in the gut
CA-DTPA or Zn-DTPA - blood chelating agent for pt, am, ci
Neupogen - stimulates growth of white blood cells

Question 19

What is radon? How does it act?
What types of damage does it inflict?

Answer 19

Class A carcinogen
radon emits alpha particles
cause lung cancer
physical effects - DNA struck directly by particle
chemical - ions and free radicals impact fluid around DNA

Question 20

What is a Class A?

Answer 20

Human carcinogen
radon, polonium, benzes, asbestos, mustard gas, etc

Question 21

Describe Polonium risks

Answer 21

male lung cancer
phosphate fertilizers cause Po-210 to accumulate on leaves, burning cigs volatilized the chemicals
Po is part of nuclear weapons triggers

Question 22

What is a Class B?

Answer 22

Probable human carcinogen
B1-limited evidence, ex PCPs, UVA,UVB
B2-inadequate evidence ex: cholesterol, lead

Question 23

How are tanning salons regulates?

Answer 23

integral timer with multiple times
protective eye ware
termination switch
UV warning lavel

Question 24

What is Class C?

Answer 24

Possible human carcinogen ex: permethrins
can cause cancer in animals

Question 25

What is Class D?

Answer 25

not classifiable as to human carcinogenicity
no evidence it causes cancer
ex: deet, frontline

Question 26

What is class E?

Answer 26

evidence of non-carcinogenicity for humans
strong evidence it does not cause cancer
ex: Boric acid

Question 27

What four bodies regulate radiation?

Answer 27

Nuclear Regulatory Commission - nuclear power plants
Department of Energy - military, Argon nat’l lab
EPA - recommendations in homes
OSHA - Max permissible concentrations

Question 28

How is radon regulated?

Answer 28

all manmade Class As are regulated
has been regulated in mines since 1950
homes are not regulated
max exp recommended 4 pCi/l
OSHA 100 pCi/L

Question 29

How much is a picocurrie?

Answer 29

one million millionth of a curie
one radioactive particle disintegration every 27 secs

Question 30

What is a Becquerel per cubic meter?

Answer 30

1 Bq/m^3 is one disintegration per sec within a cubic meter
148 Bq/m^3 is the action level for radon
measuring the nucleus decay in given space and time

Question 31

What are some radon characteristics?

Answer 31

collorless
odorless
tasteless
naturally occurring
inert
9X heavier than air

Question 32

What is Radon?

Answer 32

decay product of Radium-226, which decayed from Uranium-238
present in almost all soil, rock, and water

Question 33

How does air pressure affect radon exposure?

Answer 33

negative air pressure pulls radon from under buildings into lower part of building