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Understanding Radiation Effects and Radiobiology

Learn about the effects of radiation on our bodies, including internal and external exposure, dose control, biological half-life, DNA damage, and potential illnesses like cancer. Discover how radiation sources impact our health and environment.

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Understanding Radiation Effects and Radiobiology

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  1. Radiation Effects Radiobiology Steve Curtis Desert Research Institute

  2. Background Radiation • Cosmic • Terrestrial • In our Bodies • Total Radiation • About 300 mR per year • Equals about 15 X-Rays • Over half is from Radon

  3. Internal vs. External Exposure • Exposure vs. Dose • Energy Deposition = Dose • External • Time, Distance, Shielding • Can Control Exposure • Internal (Ingestion or Inhalation) • Near Critical Cells • Cannot Control Exposure

  4. External Exposure • Alpha is of no concern • Beta is of minor concern • Mostly Skin Effects • Gamma is of most concern • Penetrating • Dosimeters • What do I do? • Time, Distance, Shielding • Anti-Cs to Stop Internal Exposure

  5. Internal Dose • Biological half-life • Elements spread to parts of the body • Close to DNA When Decay Occurs • Heavy Elements (mostly transuranics) • Alpha Particle • Also Toxic • Light Elements • Beta Particle and Gamma Rays

  6. What Can Be Done? • Bioassay • Feces • Urine • Blood • Stable Iodine • Chelating Agents • Blood Transfusions • Bone Marrow Transfusions

  7. What Does Radiation Do? • Changes the Chemistry in our Bodies • Cells are the bodies’ workhorses • DNA is the body’s Master Plan • Water is 70% of Body Mass • Water Chemistry Affects our Cells • Free Radicals • DNA Effects • Natural Anti-Oxidants

  8. Radiation Normal Cell Error Free 1 Repair DNA Cell Death 2 3 Error Prone Repair Repair Repair Mutation What Should Concern Us? • Our bodies cannot sense radiation • Dose must be calculated • Radiation sensors • Bioassay • Background Radiation • Radiation Damage • 0 No effect • 1 Repaired Damage • 2 Cell Death • 3 Unrepaired Damage (Mutations)

  9. Possible Damage Agents Oxidative Processes Toxins Radiation Short-Term Effects (Acute) Massive Cell Death Body Functions Cease “Radiation Sickness” Levels of 10,000,000 X Background Long-Term Effects (Stochastic) Unrepaired Damage Mutations Abnormal Protein Production Unwanted Reproduction Cancer DNA Effects

  10. Possible Illnesses • Cancer • Premature Aging • Damage to the Immune System • Bad Mutations • Produce Genetic Diseases in the Organism • Produce Genetic Diseases in Progeny • More Pronounced Effects in Dividing Cells • Fetus, Children • Crypt Cells, Stem Cells in Bone Marrow

  11. Additional Radiation Sources • Man-Made Sources • Spent Fuel • Medical • Industrial • Increased Background • World-Wide Fallout • Weapons of Mass Destruction • Radiological Dispersal Device • Improvised Nuclear Device

  12. Man-Made Sources • Uses • Medical • Nuclear Power Reactors • Research • Industrial Uses • (Pipe Inspection and Soil) • Material • Fission Sources • Transuranic Elements • Activation Products

  13. High Background and World-Wide Fallout • Background • Denver is 2X Normal Background • Some areas on Earth are 50X Normal • World-Wide Fallout • Cs-137 is the main constituent remaining • Sr-90 is also found • Not a significant factor in background radiation

  14. Weapons of Mass Destruction • Radiation Dispersal Device • Low public health danger • High public perception danger • High economic cost • Radiation Exposure Device • Easy to find and isolate • Danger for those close in • Improvised Nuclear Weapon • Ultimate Devastation • Very difficult to implement

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