Radiation Control with Types and Effects

Radiation Radiation can be described as energy that is in the form of streams or waves of particles. Numerous types of radiation surround us. When most individuals hear the term radiation, the thing that comes to their mind is nuclear power, radioactivity, and atomic energy. Radiation, however, has several other forms. Visible light and sound are some familiar kinds of radiation. Other kinds of radiation include television and radio signals, infrared radiation (some type of heat energy), and ultraviolet radiation (responsible for suntans).

The earth together with occupants are always subjected to radiation produced by the sun, stars as well as other galactic sources and from the radioactive substances found on the earth’s crust. Here on earth, being exposed to radiation is unavoidable as a result of the radioactive materials present in the air, water, and also within the body. Radiation cannot be seen, but it occurs in form if electromagnetic waves and particles made up of tiny energy bundles known as photons (El-Shaer, 2015, p. 2).

The treatment of products and materials with radiation with the aim of altering their chemical, biological, and physical features is referred to as radiation processing of substances. Radiation processing could be managed and utilized for the creation of new products and materials having desirable features. The grasp of basic radiation physics, which includes the composition of matter, nuclear physics elements, interaction of radiation with matter, and nature of electromagnetic radiation is needed in understanding irradiation processing together with its capacity in material sciences (Sun & Chmielewski, 2017, p. 7).

Forms of Radiation Radiation can be described as energy that is in the form of streams or waves of particles. There exists two different types of radiation; ionizing radiation and non-ionizing radiation. Non-ionizing radiation carries lower energy in comparison to ionizing radiation; it does not have sufficient energy for the production of ions (removal of an electron from an atom). Examples of such radiation include infrared, sunlight, visible light, microwaves, and radio waves.

They are normally described ad ELF (Extremely Low-frequency) waves and do not cause any health risks (El-Shaer, 2015, p. 3). Ionizing radiation has the ability to knock out electrons from atoms, interfering with the proton/electron balance, eventually leaving the atom positively charged. Electrically charged atoms or molecules are known as ions. This type of radiation includes radiation emitted by both man-made and natural radioactive substances.

There are numerous kinds of this radiation: (a) Alpha radiation (?): It is made up of alpha particles, which consist of two neutrons and two protons, and carries a double positive charge. Because of their somewhat large charge and mass, they have a very limited capacity of penetrating matter. This radiation could be stopped by the skin’s dead outer layer or by an ordinary sheet of paper. Thus, alpha radiation emitted from nuclear materials outside the human body do not pose any radiation risks.

Nonetheless, if nuclear material producing alpha radiation get their way into the human body, they become a risk. Radon-222 is a good example of a nuclear material that goes through alpha decay to become polonium-218 (El-Shaer, 2015, p. 3). (b) Beta radiation (?): It is made up of charged particles ejected from the nucleus of atom and are physically same as electrons. These particles are negatively charged, are quite tiny, and can penetrate deeper compared to alpha particles.

Beta radiation could, however, be stopped by little quantities of shielding like four sheets of plastic, metal or glass. If the radiation source is external to the human body, beta radiation carrying enough energy is capable of penetrating the skin’s dead outer layer and dump its energy in the skin cells that are active. Beta radiation is, however, quite limited when it comes to its capacity of penetrating the deeper organs and tissues of the body.

Nuclear material producing beta radiation could also be dangerous if they find their way inside the human body (El-Shaer, 2015, p. 4). (c) Electrons: They are tiny negative charged particles found in atoms. They are very small in size; approximately 1800 times tinier when compared to neutrons. Electrons are usually emitted when a radioactive material disintegrates, in which they are referred to as Beta rays. (d) Neutrons: They are uncharged and neutral particles and are actually among the particles that constitute an atomic nucleus.

They are quite penetrating given that they contain no charge. (e) Protons: They are positively charged particles located in the atomic nucleus. They have a mass almost similar to that of neutrons and are the primary constituents of major cosmic rays [3]. (f) Heavy ions: Larger in size than alpha particles, heavy ions are simply the nucleus of an atom that has been stripped of its electrons. They possess great quantities of energy and move at high speeds.

They are quite common in the outer space and might also be emitted by special kinds of accelerators [3]. (g) Photon radiation (gamma [?] and X-ray): This is a form of electromagnetic radiation. This paper focuses on two different kinds of photon radiation: X-rays and gamma rays. Gamma radiation is composed of photons whose source is the nucleus, whereas X-ray radiation is composed of photons whose source is outside the nucleus and usually have lower energy compared to gamma rays.

Photon radiation is capable of penetrating quite deep and at its intensity can only be decreased by substances that are very dense, like steel or lead. In addition, photon radiation travels much longer distances in comparison to beta and alpha radiation, and is capable of penetrating body organs and tissues if the source of radiation is outside the human body. This type of radiation is also dangerous if the nuclear substances that emit photons find their way into the body (El-Shaer, 2015, p. 4).

Measuring Radioactivity Ionizing radiation is measurable using units of ergs, electron volts or joules. Electron volt (eV) is an energy unit that is associated with moving electrons. An electron is usually very tightly held in an atom of hydrogen (a single electron and a single photon). Energy is required in transferring this electron from the proton. 13.6 eV, to be specific, is required to completely shift the electron away from the proton. In such a case, the atom becomes ionized.

We then say that the ionization energy of the very tightly held electron in the hydrogen is 13.6 eV. A material’s radioactivity is measured by the quantity of nuclei that decompose per unit time. Becquerel (Bq), the S.I. unit of radioactivity, is equivalent to a single disintegration per second (dps). Radioactivity can also be measured in curies, which is a historical unit that is founded on the figure of disintegration per second in a single gram of radium-226, which 37 billion. Therefore one curie is equal to 37 billion Becquerel.

A single picocurie is equal to 0.037 Becquerel, and one Becquerel is equal to 27 picocuries. Additionally, radioactivity can also be determined in dpm (disintegrations per minute). A single dpm is equal to 1/60 Becquerel (Close & Ledwidge, 2019). Radiation effects Late-onset impacts of being exposed to ionization radiation on the body have been recognized by large-scale, long-term epidemiological studies.

The study of the Japanese survivors of the well-known atomic bombings Hiroshima and Nagasaki (known as the Life Span Study) is considered as the most trustworthy source of data and information regarding the health impacts because of the cohort size, exposure of a wide populace of all ages and genders, and the broad range of individually evaluated dosages.

It is for this reason that the Life Span Study is quite important in risk assessment of the radiation protection system of the ICRP (International Commission on Radiological Protection) as well as other relevant authorities. Exposure to radiation raises the risks of cancer all through life, thus making non-stop follow-up of the survivors quite crucial. In general, the survivors have an apparent radiation-associated excess cancer risk, and individuals who have exposed as kids have a greater risk of radiation-prompted cancer compared to those exposed later in life when older.

In high dosages, and probably in low dosages, radiation may increase the risks of heart diseases as well as other diseases. Hereditary impacts in the kids of the survivors of the bombings are yet to be identified. The dosage-response association for cancer at the low doses is presumed to be linear without any threshold. This unresolved concern is not just an issue when appropriately handling possible health impacts of nuclear incidents like Chernobyl and Fukushima,.