RADIATION AWARENESSin Nevada

Jon BakkedahlN Nevada Radiation Control Program

775.687-7550 (main)1-877-GETRAD1

jbakkedahl@health.nv.gov

Radiation Control Program

Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health

THE State Agency for Radiation Protection (NRS 459)

Public Health Public Safety National Security

In 1895, X-Rays discovered by Wilhelm Roentgen

Stage set for the use of radiation

Studies provide a detailed understanding of hazards and benefits of radiation

In 1896, Henri Becquerel discovered radiation from uranium ore

Becquerel was studying a body's exposure to light of another color. This new found light was given the name “x-ray” for being unknown

In the same year, Marie and Pierre Curie discovered radium and polonium were radioactive elements in the same ore

Credited with the world's first studies conducted into the treatment of cancer using radioactive isotopes.

Radiation Awareness Review Identify types of radiation Identify terminology and risks associated

with radiation Identify self aid procedures for protection

against radiation exposure understand the need for detection

equipment

Radiation Control Program

Ionizing Radiation unstable Physical change in

atoms by making them electrically charged

Non-Ionizing Radiation Visible light/heat/radio

waves/microwaves Does not have sufficient

energy to cause ionization

Ionizing Radiation? Ionizing radiation is electromagnetic

energy or energetic particles emitted from a sourceElectromagnetic energy: radio waves, light,

x-rays, etc. Source: unstable atoms of any material Ionize: To strip electrons from other atoms

causing chemical changes in molecules

Four Basic Types of Ionizing Radiation

Alpha

Beta

Gamma/X-ray

Neutron

Alpha Radiation Heavy charged particles Not penetrating

Travel centimeters in air or a few microns in tissue

Stopped by paper or clothing Internal hazard

Beta Radiation High energy small particle Moderately penetrating

Up to a few meters in airSeveral millimeters in tissue

Primarily internal hazard, some external

High and Low energy rays (photons) Very penetrating Difficult to shield Protective clothing will not protect

against photon radiation External and internal hazard

Gamma Radiation & X-rays

Uncharged high speed particle Can be very penetrating Requires special consideration for

shielding External and internal hazard

not likely to encounter dangerous levels of neutron radiation

Neutron Radiation

Examples of Radioactive Materials

Material Emits Use

Americium 241 a, g Smoke detectors, density gauges

Cobalt 60 g, b Medical therapy, Industrial Radiography

Cesium 137 g, b Many industrial uses

Radium 226 g, b, a Medical therapy, Dials

Uranium 238 g, b, a Reactors and weapons

Iridium 192 g, b Industrial radiography

Technetium 99m g Worldwide Medical

Radioactive Material and Radioactivity Radioactive decay is measured in half-

lives

Half-life is unique to each radioactive isotope and can vary greatly

Radioactive pharmaceutical products (called radiopharmaceuticals) typically have half-lives of a few hours or days

Radiation Half-life Time required for a radioactive substance

to lose half of its radioactivity Each radionuclide has a unique half-life Fraction of a second to millions of years

Examples:N-13 ~10 minsTc-99m ~6 hrsI-131 ~8 daysIr-192 ~73 daysCo-60 ~5 yearsCs-137 ~30 yearsAm-241 ~432 yearsPu-239 ~24,400 yearsU-238 ~4,150,000,000 years

1 half-life2 half-lives3 half-lives4 half-lives5 half-lives6 half-lives7 half-lives8 half-lives9 half-lives10 half-lives

Radioactive

Material

Progeny

Each radioactive isotope decays to something else

Progeny (daughters) might be more dangerous than parent

You might be detecting progeny

Example:

Cs-137 b = Ba-137m (2.55 min ½ life) g

Units of Measure

Traditional units of measure and International System of Units (SI) are used in measuring radiation and radioactivity

For radiation measurement:

  Exposure Absorbed Dose Dose Equivalent

Common Units roentgen (R) rad rem

SI Unitscoulomb/kilogram (C/kg)

gray (Gy) sievert (Sv)

Units of Measure (Cont.)

-Traditional units of curies (Ci)

1 Ci = that quantity of radioactive material in which 37 billion atoms disintegrate per second

-SI units of Becquerel (Bq)

1 Bq = that quantity of radioactive material in which 1 atom disintegrates per second

Sources of Radiation

From NCRP Report No. 160, “Ionizing Radiation Exposure of the Population of

the United States” (2009)

Radiation Doses In Perspective

Natural background and manmade radiation 360-500 mrem/yr

(~20 +/- μR/h is background) Diagnostic chest x-ray 10 mrem Flight from LA to Paris 4.8 mrem Barium enema 800 mrem Smoking 1.5 packs per day 16,000 mrem/yr Heart catheterization 45,000 mrem Mild acute radiation sickness 200,000 mrem

LD50/30 for radiation 450,000 mrem

Acute vs Chronic Dose

Acute - Large dose/short time (300rem/hr) May cause early effects Bomb victims; radiography accidents

Chronic - Small doses over time May cause delayed effects Possible for workers Uranium Miners

Radiation Exposure RisksIncreasing risk

s Thyroid Lung

LiverBone

Irradiation Externalcontamination

IncorporationInternalcontamination

Radiation Control Program

Health PhysicsThe effects of radiation on the body

Radiation ProtectionMinimizing unwanted radiation exposure

ALARA time; distance; shielding PPE

Time

Source Result Dose25 mrem

100 mrem per hour x 15 minutes (.25 hour) = 25 mrem

Distance

Dose rate is ¼ when distance is doubled

Shielding

Basic Radiation PPE Protect your respiratory tract

Respirator, surgical mask, etc. Protect your skin

Gloves!Outer clothingChemical suit is not always needed

Downgrade every chance you get! If radiation is the only hazard, longer time

downrange caused by bulky PPE could be a greater hazard than contamination (ALARA)

Radioactivity –Hazardous?

3 Things you should know to find out what

kind of hazards are present:

What type of radiation is emitted?Alpha, beta, or gamma

Half-Life – long or short? Solid or Dispersible?

Detecting Ionizing Radiation•Not detected by human senses

•Requires use of detection instruments

•No single instrument can detect or measure all types of radiation

Detection Instruments Dosimeter

Track total personal Dose (exposure) Self Reading (pocket ion chamber); Lab (TLD, OSLD)

Pager Detects only (yes/no), poor measurement ability Very Sensitive

Personal Radiation Detector (PRD, PRM) Real time dose and dose rate pocket, belt clip size

Survey instrument Detects and measures with a variety of probes Find source of radiation Find surface contamination

RIID (Radio-Isotope Identifier) Detects and Identifies Gamma radiation sources

Geiger-Mueller (GM)

Pancake

Side/end Window

Energy Compensated

Scintillators

CrystalGamma

PlasticGamma/Beta

Zinc-SulfideAlpha

Ion Chambers

Pressurized

Non Pressurized

Beta Window

Remote Handled

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant – WIPPUS Department of Energy

Transuranic Waste (TRU)Isotopes Heavier Than Uranium

Generated by Weapons Labs

High Alpha Component

Inhalation Hazard

40 shipments/year across I-80Beginning 2010

Industrial Radiography

Portable Density Gauges

Radiopharmaceutical packages

26% radon potential

All homes should be tested

Elevated radon concentrations are found everywhere

Radon potential based on actual data since 1989

Serious public health problem 2nd leading cause of lung cancer No evidence of a threshold Effects of radon & smoking is sub-

multiplicative in combination

National Research Council conclusions:

How Radon compares to How Radon compares to other causes of death other causes of death

Radon is a global public health concern Radon is a problem in Nevada Radon is the leading environmental cause of

cancer mortality in the U.S. and 8th leading cause of cancer mortality overall.

Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer for nonsmokers

Your help is critical in getting the word outhttp://BreathingEasier.infohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQLSStm_jwk

CONTROL THE SCENE AND ESTABLISH “SAFE” AREAS

•Recommended values to be used when Radiation Control staff are not yet at the site and responders have limited instrumentation

THESE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS !

• Responders should follow their department’s SOP’s and consult with state Radiation Control program.

RED – Radiological Exposure DeviceHidden Sealed SourceUses a radiological source to expose people to radiation

without their knowledge but does not contaminate

RDD - Radiological Dispersal Device(Dirty Bomb)Uses explosive or mechanical means to disburse

radioactive material Weapon of Mass DisruptionTrauma from explosion could killExposure to radiation could result in cancer

RDDs planted by Chechen rebels were found and disarmed in 1995 and 1998

RDD

Not Always Explosive

Just Has To Disburse

IR-192 30 CiBack Pocket 4 hrs

Industrial Radiography Camera

Irridium-192; 100+ Curies74 day half life

sources shipped several times/year

Ir-192/ ~3.3 CiIn coat pocket~4 hours

@ 5 Days

@ 22 Days

Cs-1373 months post-exposure

Handled on and off over several hours

Unknown activity, Probably several Ci

Coronary Angioplasty PatientFlouroscopy – X-Rays1 hour exposure

Photo is 22 Month post exposure

Poison (exposure or disbursal)

Alexander LitvinenkoPoisoned with Polonium-210

Died 11/23/2006

1 gram of Po-210 = 4500 Ci

3.5 micrograms is fatal

166 of 596 people tested in Britain had probable contact with Po-210 with 13 requiring further monitoring

Nevada

Radiological Incident Response 24-hour duty officer

1-877-GET RAD 1 (438-7231)DPS Dispatch.....775-687-0400

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