As a result these radiations travel only a few inches in air and can easily be stopped by the outer layer of human body. These stages depend on the amount of nuclear radiation a person has absorbed. Because of the high costs of chemical reprocessing some amount of nuclear waste material is customarily released into the sea. Radiation effects on humans' health like skin burns and radiation syndrome or radiation sickness can be caused by exposure to very high levels of radiation, such as being close to an atomic blast. When considering radiation ‘s health effects on the human body, one method is to consider the deterministic effects and stochastic effects separately. According to a study of Brazilian Professor Anselmo Salks Paschoa, nuclear power plants have been known to release radioactive elements through their piping systems, seals, steam valves or pressurizers too. Radio waves emitting from radars especially from the high power installations cause heating effects. A dose received over a long period of time is less harmful than the same dose received all at once. It is capable of creating leukemia after years of receiving treatment. (iii) Cells are damaged, repair the damage and operate abnormally. One is confined to the patches of skin irradiated while the other damage is caused to the immune system. It is emitted by sun, the radioactive material in earth, outer space, food, rocks and even the human body. It was found that this type of radiation has the following properties: laser show at concerts . 2. It the woman is exposed to high doses of radiation during early pregnancy, then there are chances of brain damage or mental retardation of unborn child as the central nervous system of the child gets affected. Radio isotopes of strontium create potential danger as they get easily absorbed by the living beings including man and by air, water, soil, grasses and vegetables too. (3) Chronic dose (Low level long term dose): A chromic dose is a relatively small dose of radiation received over a long period of time. Radio waves generated by radio contain the lowest frequencies in … Radiation can harm either the whole body (somatic damage) or eggs and sperm (genetic damage). ii. Different materials like lead, water, dirt and ‘concrete measurably reduce radiation to different degrees, higher the degree of density and thickness of the shielding more protection it provides Nuclear radiations of shorter wavelength are of higher energy so the more risk in involved with these radiations. iii. Distance lessens exposure by an inverse square relationship, so doubling the distance between yourself and the source cuts exposure by one fourth. Radioactive emissions cause dangerous ionisation by removing electrons from atoms. Exposure is high in higher animals than the lower animals such as flies and insects. In-fact, it is many hundred times more sensitive than the remaining cells. All the cells are not equally sensitive to radiation damage. During radiation therapy, foods to avoid or reduce include sodium (salt), added sugars, solid (saturated) fats, and excess alcohol. High doses of radiation also cause radiation sickness with symptoms of vomiting, bleeding of gums and in severe cases even mouth ulcers. In Recent past, Radiologists from Royal College of Radiologists have initiated efforts for curbing unnecessary X-ray and the death due to X- rays tests. Radiation treatment to the pelvis can cause infertility in men and women. 2. Has enough energy to impact the atoms of living cells, thus destroying their genetic material ( DNA). The following table shows the dose an individual might receive during entire examination: Most of the attention focused on nuclear radiation stems from nuclear weapons used on Japan and the accident at Chernobyl. This table lists activities calculated to have a one-in-a-million chance of causing death. In USA the hazardous levels for micro-wave power density in various installations is set at 0.1 W/cm2 for body and O.O1W/cm2 for eye exposure from radiations of 10 nm wavelength. Radioactive materials that emit α, β, or γ radiation are the common sources of ionizing radiation. The symptoms of ARS can start within the hour of exposure, and can last for several months. About 50% of Cs-137 is eliminated from our body within 3-4 months. Late radiation effects like induction of carcinogenesis. The table below depicts the frequency of Down’s syndrome in some countries: According to one report of University of Southern California due to the Chernobyl accident huge radiation pollution occurred in the surrounding area and along with human population and animal, plants were also badly affected. Potential effects associated with prenatal radiation doses include: In the recent past there were some reports of defective births of an uncommonly large number of babies in some villages of Rajasthan, situated near Kota nuclear power plant. The effect of radiation on the human body depends on a lot of factors – the type of radiation, dose, whether you have been exposed from the outside or inside, frequency and severity of exposure (one time or repeated low dose exposure over a long period), organs irradiated, age and even gender. Note here that plutonium-238 is particularly toxic because it combines a high energy of emission with the presence of alpha particles. The dose of the absorbed energy is estimated using a measure called the specific absorption rate (SAR), which is expressed in watts per kilogram of body weight. Deterministic effects do not appear unless the radiation exceeds a certain level has been exposed. Radiation causes damage to the reproductive or germ cells in two ways: Lethal mutations kill the cells while the non-lethal ones can cause cancer or the abnormal growth of cells. Effects of Radiation 1. Ultraviolet radiations also have deleterious effects on microphytoplanktons and zooplanktons. Due to increasing ultraviolet radiation pollution by depletion of ozone layer the cases of skin cancers are increasing. Every now and then we hear of leakage of radio-active wastes in soil and waters due to unsafe disposal. Factors that Affect Dose. Early signs of these … High dose of radiation causes hemorrhage and ultimately the death of the victim. These effects may be due to the electronic and magnetic fields of the electromagnetic radiations. Radioactive substances are among the most toxic substances known. Such contaminated plants when eaten by cattle, cows etc. It can also cause necrosis of skin and deep seated tissues. Since an embryo / fetus is especially sensitive to radiation (embryo/fetus cells are rapidly dividing), so special considerations are given to pregnant workers. This is considered as a basic model for understanding radiation damage. (ii) Cells are damaged but the damage is repaired and they operate normally: Some ionizing radiation produces substances not normally found in cells. Sometimes genetic code of DNA is jumbled, so it reproduces differently in successive generations. Short-term exposure to high dose may cause anemia fatigue, blood, kidney and liver disorders, reddening of skin, pigment discoloration and premature aging. Though nuclear power plants offer a substantial source of power but we cannot ignore the dangers associated with the use of nuclear power. If the melt down is severe the radioactive elements within the core can be released into the atmosphere and around the area of the power plant. It is accompanied by pain or weakness in the affected limbs. Efficiency of transfer of radionuclides in human body through food chain. Recently an investigative agency of U.S. Congress conducted the study on effects of microwave and radio frequency radiation on human health and reported that current levels of these radiations in air are quite hazardous for our health as these radiations are the part of broader electromagnetic spectrum that induces various wave motions through which energy can be transferred from one place to another. It is unfortunate that in the dividing cells radiation causes the most damage. Radiation causes breakage or disintegration within the gametes so that genetic mechanism of chromosomes is damaged. I- 131 accumulates in thyroid gland which plays an important role in regulating metabolic activities and damage caused by 1-131 seriously affects these metabolic activities. Radiation can disrupt both healthy and cancerous cell growth. We know that certain body parts are more specifically affected by the exposure to different types of radiation sources, The factors that are involved in determining the health effects of exposure to the radiation include the dose size, The radiation ability to harm the human tissue and the organs that are affected.. Due to the somatic effects of exposure they developed cancers of various organs. 1. This is termed as mild radiation sickness. These are the abnormalities that may occur in future generations of the victims of radiation exposure. Generally, cells which divide rapidly and are relatively non-specialized may show the damaging effects at lower doses of radiation than those which are less rapidly dividing and more specified. Your Mobile number and Email id will not be published. Symptoms and Stages of Radiation Sickness: There are four stages of radiation sickness. The relativity advance technique that is the computerized topography (CT) scanner also involve high dose of X-ray irradiation. Discuss this chart with your doctor or nurse. Secondly, the melt downs in nuclear power plants causes variety of other problems. Nuclear meltdowns or disasters have occurred at various levels since the creation of nuclear power. Voice Call. The effects of ionizing radiation on cell begin with the ionization of atoms. Exposure Pathways. Non-ionizing forms of radiation are made up of lower degree of energy but these wave can still pass through material. That has led to concerns about the potential detrimental effects on the human body of exposure to radiation in connection with these diagnostic and therapeutic tools. The surroundings also become poisoneel and may prevent the growth of future offspring’s. Effectsofradiationon humanbody SUBMITTED BY : VIBHOR TYAGI (60850 3. For protection from exposure of laser systems some important control measures are as follows: 1. Thyamine (T) and Cytosine (C) undergo photochemical reaction more promptly than the Purine bases i.e. Whether the radiations are natural or from anthropogenic sources, their extent of danger depends mainly on the following factors: (i) Physical properties of radionuclides such as their half-life, type of emission and energy of emission. Studies were conducted in Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory (USA) on the adverse effects of electromagnetic radiations on human health. Many other disasters also occurred in the following years, releasing the radioactive elements in the air causing radiation pollution. Plants are contaminated with Sr-90 through uptake from soil and by surface deposition of radionuclides. In the West Coast of Britain, the following isotopes have been released over the past thirty years. Brain cells are affected if the radiation exposure is greater than 5000 rems. The first known partial core meltdown occurred in 1952 in Ontario, Canada. Though the benefits of Radiation therapy outweigh its side effects but still some radiation effects occur in the treatment which can be grouped broadly in the following two categories: (ii) Long term effects of radiation therapy. As UV radiations destroy cells, the chances of mutation are increased. Radiation damages the DNA in normal healthy cells, which will become cancer if they grow uncontrollably receiving treatment. A very high level of radiation exposure within a short period of time can cause symptoms such as nausea and vomiting within hours, which can also lead to death in the days or weeks that follow. Even damage to the chromosomes is normally repaired. Mytilus edulis accumulated 95% of Ru106 in its shell. These can lead to a breakdown of cell structure and its components.