Radiation in Everyday Life

1
Radiation in Everyday Life

• Teo Jim Yang 3O3(26)

2
Contents

• Basics
• Definition
• Ionizing and Non-ionizing radiation
• Electromagnetic Radiation
• Natural Background Radiation
• Man-Made Radiation
• Radiation in Our Environment
• Effects of Radiation
• Sources of radiation in everyday life
• Significance of Radiation Exposure
• People who are at higher risk
• Radiation Protection

3
What is radiation?

• Energy that travels through space in the from of
  particles or waves
• Two different types of radiation ionizing and
  non-ionizing
• Radiation can be found all around us

4
Ionizing and Non-ionizing Radiation

• Ionizing Radiation
• Has a lot of energy that gives it the ability to
  cause changes in atoms
• Enough to damage DNA
• Overexposure can cause
• Mutations in your genes, which causes birth
  defects,
• Raised risk of cancer, burns
• Radiation sickness

• Non-ionizing Radiation
• Relatively low-energy radiation that doesn't have
  enough energy to ionize atoms or molecules
• Although considered less dangerous than ionizing
  radiation, overexposure to non-ionizing radiation
  can cause health issues

5
Ionizing and Non-Ionizing Radiation
6
Summary of Radiation
7
Natural Background Radiation

• Refers to the naturally derived, widespread
  radiation present everywhere in the environment
• Usually not detrimental to life
• 3 Main sources
• Cosmic Radiation
• Cosmic rays from outer space which bombard the
  earth
• Terrestrial Radiation
• Radioactive substances in the earth's crust
• Soil
• Water
• Vegetation
• Emanation of radioactive gas from the earth
  (radon gas)
• Internal Radiation
• Trace amounts of radioactivity in the body

8
Man-Made Radiation

• Two distinct groups of people exposed to man-made
  radiation sources
• Members of the public
• Occupationally exposed individuals

9
Man-Made radiation

• Sources that results in exposure to public
• Tobacco (thorium)
• Television (EM radiation)
• Medical Procedures
• Diagnostic X-rays
• Nuclear medicine
• Smoke detectors (Americium)
• Building materials (Radon)
• Occupational sources
• Radiography
• X-ray technicians
• Workers in Nuclear power plant
• Nuclear medicine technicians

10
Electromagnetic (EM) Radiation

• Light is made up of different components
• Gamma Rays
• X-Rays
• Ultraviolet Rays
• Visible Light
• Infrared Rays
• Microwaves
• Radio Waves
• They make up the
  electromagnetic spectrum
• They emit radiation

Decreasing in Wavelength
11
Effects Of Radiation

• "Harmful Effects of Radiation" Video
• Increased blood pressure
• Lesions
• Damage to foetus (in pregnant women)
• Mental retardation
• Miscarriage
• Cancers
• Salivary gland cancer
• Lymphatic cancer
• Bone marrow cancer (leukemia)
• Brain cancer
• Breast cancer
• Heart Disease
• Headaches
• And much more

12
Effects of Radiation

• Why does radiation cause harm?
• DNA Damage
• Our cells have mechanisms to repair DNA damage to
  a limited extent but radiation can overwhelm
  these mechanisms.
• Damaged DNA is implicated in several disease
  processes, including various types of cancer.
• Interference with Melatonin production
• Low melatonin levels have already been linked to
  several diseases, including cancers
• Interference with Cellular Communication
• Our body cells communicate internally and
  externally by means of electrical signals. 
• These signals can be altered by EMF radiation
  which generates electrical currents within the
  body causing changes in both cellular activity
  and cellular structures

13
Effects of Radiation

• Factors affecting the effect of radiation
• Intensity of radiation
• Exposure to strong radiation may cause damage,
  even though the exposure is of short duration
• Cumulative Exposure
• The combination of the different frequencies a
  person is exposed to may overwhelm the body
  defenses and repair mechanisms.
• Duration of Exposure
• Many studies have indicated that various health
  effects are only noticed after many years of
  exposure to  electromagnetic pollution, for
  example high voltage power lines, or cell phones.
  
• Radiation Transience
• More biologically stressful to be exposed to
  fluctuating radiation which arises from an
  electrical appliance which cycles on and off than
  from a similar appliance that remains steadily on
  all day. 

14
Sources of Radiation in Everyday Life

• Cell-phones
• Tobacco Smoke from smoking
• Medical Use of Radiation
• Radiation from Appliances
• Televisions and Computers
• Microwave Ovens
• Heating Appliances
• Personal Grooming Appliances

15
1. Cell Phone Radiation

• Radiation in cell phones is generated in the
  transmitter and emitted through the antenna
• In the form of radio waves
• These waves picked up by a receiver in the
  cell-phone tower

16
1. Cell Phone Radiation

• When talking on a cell phone, most users place
  the phone against the head
• Some of the radiation might be absorbed by human
  tissue
• Radio frequency (RF) radiation has the ability to
  heat human tissue
• Damage to tissue can be caused by exposure to RF
  radiation because the body is not equipped to
  dissipate excessive amounts of heat
• The eyes are particularly vulnerable due to the
  lack of blood flow in that area
• Use of cell phones may have potential links to
• Cancer
• Brain tumors
• Alzheimer's disease
• Parkinson's disease
• Headaches

17
1. Cell Phone Radiation

• Some precautions that can be made to reduce RF
  radiation exposure from cell phones
• Extend the antenna during use
• Use a phone that places the antenna as far away
  from you as possible
• Use a hands-free headset
• Limit calls inside buildings
• Use the phone in open spaces as often as possible
• Limit use by children

18
2. Radiation from Smoking

• Cigarette smoke contains radioactive lead-210 and
  polonium-210
•  Each cigarette smoked can also be equated to one
  chest x-ray
• A non-smoker living with a smoker may receive the
  equivalent of 12 chest x-rays per year as a
  result of second-hand smoke
• Lead-210 and polonium-210 are deposited in the
  bronchioles
• Risk of cancers is increased with the presence of
  other harmful substances in cigarette smoke
• Carbon monoxide
• Tar
• Nicotine

19
3. Radiation In Medicine

• Diagnostic radiology
• Use of machines (e.g. X-ray) to obtain images of
  the inside of the patient's body
• X-rays can penetrate skin
• Bone, fat, muscle, tumors and other masses all
  absorb X-rays at different levels
• The image on the film reveals distinct structures
  in the body because of the different levels of
  exposure on the film
• Even with the risks, X-ray scanning is still a
  safer option than surgery
• Other diagnoses using radiation
  include mammography and MRI scans

20
3. Radiation In Medicine

• Radiotherapy
• Use of high energy x-rays and similar rays to
  treat disease (usually cancer)
• Radiation destroys the cancer cells in the
  treated area
• Although normal cells can also be damaged by the
  radiotherapy, they can usually repair themselves
• Contributes to 40 per cent of all cured cancers

21
4. Radiation from Appliances

• Televisions
• TVs emit X-rays
• LCD (flat screen) TVs produce much less radiation
  
• Computers
• Computers emit radio and microwaves
• Wireless equipment (e.g. mouse, keyboard) also
  emit some radiation
• Sit at least
• 1.9m away from TV
• 60 cm away from computer screens

22
4. Radiation from Appliances

• Microwave Ovens
• Microwaves affect the food
• Structure of protein foods is changedso that a
  beneficial protein molecule in the food becomes a
  harmful one
• Placing plastic containers into the microwave may
  cause toxic plastic molecules to leach into the
  food
• Microwaves also leak out of the oven
• keep a distance of 1.5 meters

23
4. Radiation from Appliances

• Heating Appliances
• Electric blankets generate EM radiation, even
  after switched off
• Electrically heated carpets and rugs,
  under-carpet and under-floor heating all produce
  substantial EM radiation
• Electrical heaters also produce lot of EM
  radiation

24
4. Radiation from Appliances

• Personal Grooming Appliances
• Hairdryers, electric shavers, electric
  toothbrushes and similar personal grooming
  products emit radiation at their normal operating
  distance
• People at higher risk should refrain from using
  them

25
Significance

• Even though common sources of radiation only deal
  it in minute doses
• The frequency of which we are exposed to them are
  greater causes for concern
• The accumulation of these small doses may greatly
  affect our health

26
People at Higher Risk

• Children
• Biologically more vulnerable
• Thinner skulls
• Tissues not fully developed
• May not be able to control how much they use cell
  phones, play on computers, watch TV etc, and how
  close they sit to the screen.
• Pregnant Women
• Any cellular damage in a developing embryo may
  have magnified consequences for the child
• At risk of miscarriage if they are subjected to
  high intensity EM radiation during pregnancy
• Lower EM radiation levels may still damage the
  foetus while not causing an actual miscarriage.

27
People At Higher Risk

• People already suffering from chronic
  degenerative conditions
• The body is already using all its available
  energy to heal itself
• Does not have much energy to spare for repairing
  the damage done by radiation
• Workers in close proximity to electrical
  machinery
• Exposed to strong electromagnetic fields and
  radiation

28
People At Higher Risk

• Frequent users of appliances that emit radiation
• Spend more than a few minutes a day talking on a
  cell phone pressed to their ear etc
• Table of Radiation-emitting Appliances
• Especially vulnerable if they done every day for
  years
• In other words, most of us are at risk

29
Radiation Protection

• Increase distance from source
• The intensity of radiation decreases with
  distance from its source.
• Reduce time exposed to source
• If exposure cannot be avoided, try to spend as
  little time near it as possible
• If it doesn't need to be turned on, switch it off
• Radiation comes from many devices which are left
  on unnecessarily, e.g. charger units for
  batteries, cell-phones, laptops etc, computers
  and printers

30
Radiation Protection

• Shielding
• Barriers of lead, concrete or water give good
  protection from high levels of penetrating
  radiation such as gamma rays
• Intensely radioactive materials are often stored
  or handled under water, or by remote control in
  rooms constructed of thick concrete or lined with
  lead
• Containment
• Highly radioactive materials are confined and
  kept out of the workplace and environment
• Nuclear reactors operate within closed systems
  with multiple barriers which keep the radioactive
  materials contained

31
References

• http//www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf05.html
• http//www.world-nuclear.org/education/ral.htm
• http//science.howstuffworks.com/radiation.htm
• http//www.wisegeek.com/what-is-electromagnetic-ra
  diation.htm
• http//www.howstuffworks.com/cell-phone-radiation.
  htm
• http//www.hps.org/publicinformation/ate/q824.html
  
• http//www.uraniumsa.org/about/radiation.htm
• http//www.radiationanswers.org/radiation-introduc
  tion/types-of-radiation.html

32
References

• http//orise.orau.gov/reacts/guide/define.htm
• http//www.chem.duke.edu/jds/cruise_chem/nuclear/
  exposure.html
• http//www.docstoc.com/docs/23411087/Natural-and-M
  an-Made-Radiation-Sources
• http//www.emwatch.com/index.html
• http//www.uihealthcare.com/topics/medicaldepartme
  nts/cancercenter/prevention/preventionradiation.ht
  ml
• http//www.epa.gov/radiation/sources/tobacco.html
  
• http//www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/Radiation/Understandi
  ngRadiation/UnderstandingRadiationTopics/MedicalRa
  diation/
• http//health.howstuffworks.com/medicine/modern/nu
  clear-medicine.htm