Radionucleotides Flashcards
What are the two types of radiation and which is going to cause harm?
ionizing or non-ionizing
ionizing causes harm
What are the sources of natural radiation?
cosmic rays, natural radioisotopes
What are the anthropogenic sources of radiation?
nuclear reactors, waste from uranium mining and milling, production of mediacal radioisotopes and X-rays
What is low radioactivity waste?
contains materials with limited amount of long-lived activity, requires isolation and containment for up to a few hundred years
What is intermediate radioactivity waste?
typically exhibits levels of penetrating radiation and contains significant quantities of long lived radiation
What is high activity radioactivity waste?
includes used nuclear fuel, and other wastes, associated with penetrating radiation and contains significant quantities of long lived radionucleotides
Where is the only high level radioactive waste site located in Canada?
Quebec
What are the five types of ionizing radiation>
alpha particles, beta particles, gamma rays, x rays and neutron particles
Describe alpha particles
relatively large mass containing two neutrons and two protons, only can travel in air for 1-2 inches, external hazard is minimal but once in cells causes extensive damage
Describe beta particles
electrons/positrons emitted during decay, half the charge of alpha but can travel farther, less internal damage but can still cause significant regional injury
Describe gamma rays
electromagnetic wave, lowest energy, ionize matter by direct interaction with orbital electrons, highly penetrating and equally dangerous both internal and external
What are the two units of radioactivity used?
becquerel-number of atoms disintegrating per second
curie-number of disintegrations per second in 1g of radium
What are two biologically relevant units of radioactivity?
Gray- amount of radiation causing 1kg of tissue to absorb 1 joule of energy
Sievert- takes into account the damaging potential of absorbed energy
What is the is the safe annual dose for human beings?
1mSv
What are the QF numbers for each radiation
1- gamma, x rays and beta particles
20-neutrons and alpha particles
What was the Russian spy poisoned with and how long did it take him to die?
Polonium-210 (alpha emitter) died in 22 days
What are the most sensitive taxonomic groups to radiation?
Mammals
What are the most to least sensitive organs to radiation in order?
blood forming organs
reproductive organs
skin
bone and teeth
muscle
nervous system
most sensitive are embryos and fetuses
What are the indirect and direct MOAs of ionizing radiation?
H20 being split up to H+ and OH- (ROS) or direct damage to proteins, lipids and DNA
What are the types of DNA damage caused by radiation?
DSB, SSB, oxidized base legions, missing bps
What are the lethal, immune and molecular effects of ionizing radiation?
lethal-bone marrow and GI damage
Immune-reduction in humoral response
Molecular-damage to lipids, proteins, DNA and metabolites
What are the reproductive effects of ionizing radiation?
lower egg laying, male infertility, decreased egg production, death and malformations in embryos
What is the nutrient analog, critical organ and biological retention of 3H?
H, all and days
What is the nutrient analog, critical organ and biological retention of 131I?
I, thyroid, weeks-months
What is the nutrient analog, critical organ and biological retention of 137Cs?
K, all, weeks-months
What is the nutrient analog, critical organ and biological retention of 90Sr?
Ca, bone, years
What were some of the long term effects of the Chernobyl disaster?
thyroid cancer in young people, increased cancers in those who were apart of the cleanups, and increased oxidative stress in barn swallows
What happened in the Fukushima disaster?
contamination of 131I and 134/137 Cs in drinking water and food up to 200 miles from plant, no farming in areas in 12 mile evacuation zone
What were some of the fallouts from the Fukushima disaster?
Fish contamination, and in lab study showed increased mutations and death in butterfly populations when fed leaves close to site
What was a significant finding from a case study done in saskatchewan from uranium mines
The caribou had the greatest amount of radiation compared to humans and moose, but they feed on lichens and the greatest radiation sources were 210 Po and 210Pb which are naturally occuring
benthic organism populations decreased, but also had to do with metal influence
What is the name of the monitoring program we have in Sask for mining and what does it do>
Athabasca Monitoring Eastern Regional Program-sampling for dangerous metals and radiation that are increased due to uranium mining in sediments, water soruces and fish done every 2-5yrs
Studies have shown everything is still safe for consumption
What is one of the most major causes of lung cancer in the praries?
Radon
