CHAPTER 1 Ionizing Radiation

Ionizing radiation is radiation that has sufficient energy to remove electrons from
atoms. In this document, it will be referred to simply as radiation. One source of
radiation is the nuclei of unstable atoms. For these radioactive atoms (also referred
to as radionuclides or radioisotopes) to become more stable, the nuclei eject or emit
subatomic particles and high-energy photons (gamma rays). This process is called
radioactive decay. Unstable isotopes of radium, radon, uranium, and thorium, for
example, exist naturally. Others are continually being made naturally or by human
activities such as the splitting of atoms in a nuclear reactor. Either way, they release
ionizing radiation. The major types of radiation emitted as a result of spontaneous
decay are alpha and beta particles, and gamma rays. X rays, another major type of
radiation, arise from processes outside of the nucleus.

Alpha Particles
Alpha particles are energetic, positively charged particles (helium nuclei) that rap-
idly lose energy when passing through matter. They are commonly emitted in the
radioactive decay of the heaviest radioactive elements such as uranium and radium
as well as by some manmade elements. Alpha particles lose energy rapidly in mat-
ter and do not penetrate very far; however, they can cause damage over their short
path through tissue. These particles are usually completely absorbed by the outer

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dead layer of the human skin and, so, alpha emitting radioisotopes are not a hazard
outside the body. However, they can be very harmful if they are ingested or inhaled.
Alpha particles can be stopped completely by a sheet of paper.

Beta Particles
Beta particles are fast moving, positively or negatively charged electrons emitted
from the nucleus during radioactive decay. Humans are exposed to beta particles
from manmade and natural sources such as tritium, carbon-14, and strontium-90.
Beta particles are more penetrating than alpha particles, but are less damaging over
equally traveled distances. Some beta particles are capable of penetrating the skin
and causing radiation damage; however, as with alpha emitters, beta emitters are
generally more hazardous when they are inhaled or ingested. Beta particles travel
appreciable distances in air, but can be reduced or stopped by a layer of clothing or
by a few millimeters of a substance such as aluminum.

Gamma Rays
Like visible light and X rays, gamma rays are weightless packets of energy called
photons. Gamma rays often accompany the emission of alpha or beta particles from
a nucleus. They have neither a charge nor a mass and are very penetrating. One
source of gamma rays in the environment is naturally occurring potassium-40.
Manmade sources include plutonium-239 and cesium-137. Gamma rays can easily
pass completely through the human body or be absorbed by tissue, thus constituting
a radiation hazard for the entire body. Several feet of concrete or a few inches of
lead may be required to stop the more energetic gamma rays.

X- Rays
X rays are high-energy photons produced by the interaction of charged particles
with matter. X rays and gamma rays have essentially the same properties, but differ
in origin; i.e., x rays are emitted from processes outside the nucleus, while gamma
rays originate inside the nucleus. They are generally lower in energy and therefore
less penetrating than gamma rays. Literally thousands of x-ray machines are used
daily in medicine and industry for examinations, inspections, and process controls.

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Introduction

X rays are also used for cancer therapy to destroy malignant cells. Because of their
many uses, x rays are the single largest source of manmade radiation exposure. A
few millimeters of lead can stop medical x rays.

The Penetrating Powers of Alpha and Beta Particles and Gamma Rays

SOURCES OF RADIATION

Natural Radiation

Humans are primarily exposed to natural radiation from the sun, cosmic rays, and
naturally occurring radioactive elements found in the earth's crust. Radon, which
emanates from the ground, is another important source of natural radiation. Cosmic
rays from space include energetic protons, electrons, gamma rays, and x rays. The
primary radioactive elements found in the earth's crust are uranium, thorium, and
potassium, and their radioactive derivatives. These elements emit alpha and beta
particles, or gamma rays.

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 Introduction

Manmade Radiation

Radiation is used on an ever increasing scale in medicine, dentistry, and industry.

Main users of manmade radiation include: medical facilities such as hospitals and
pharmaceutical facilities; research and teaching institutions; nuclear reactors and
their supporting facilities such as uranium mills and fuel preparation plants; and
Federal facilities involved in nuclear weapons production as part of their normal
operation.

Many of these facilities generate some radioactive waste; and some release a con-
trolled amount of radiation into the environment. Radioactive materials are also
used in common consumer products such as digital and luminous-dial wrist-
watches, ceramic glazes, artificial teeth, and smoke detectors.

Health Effects of Radiation Exposure

Depending on the level of exposure, radiation can pose a health risk. It can
adversely affect individuals directly exposed as well as their descendants. Radiation
can affect cells of the body, increasing the risk of cancer or harmful genetic muta-
tions that can be passed on to future generations; or, if the dosage is large enough to
cause massive tissue damage, it may lead to death within a few weeks of exposure.
You can read more about the health effects from exposure to ionizing radiation
from the following fact sheet.

Health Effects From Exposure To Ionizing

Radiation
Ionizing radiation can cause changes in the chemical balance of cells. Some of
those changes can result in cancer. In addition, by damaging the genetic material
(DNA) contained in all cells of the body, ionizing radiation can cause harmful
genetic mutations that can be passed on to future generations. Exposure to large
amounts of radiation, a rare occurrence, can cause sickness in a few hours or days
and death within 60 days of exposure. In extreme cases, it can cause death within a
few hours of exposure.

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Introduction

Sources of Exposure

The ionizing radiations of primary concern are alpha and beta particles, gamma
rays, and x rays. Alpha and beta particles and gamma rays can come from natural
sources or can be technologically produced. Most of the x-ray exposure people
receive is technologically produced. Natural radiation comes from cosmic rays, nat-
urally occurring radioactive elements found in the earth's crust (uranium, thorium,
etc.), and radioactive decay products such as radon and its subsequent decay prod-
ucts. The latter group represents the majority of the radiation exposure of the gen-
eral public.

In addition to these natural sources, radiation can come from such wide-ranging
sources as hospitals, research institutions, nuclear reactors and their support facili-
ties, certain manufacturing processes, and Federal facilities involved in nuclear
weapons production. The following figure shows the percentage contribution that
various radiation sources make toward the yearly average effective dose received
by the U.S. population (NCRP Report No. 93).

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 Introduction

Any release of radioactive material is a potential source of radiation exposure to the

population. In addition to exposure from external sources, radiation exposure can
occur internally by ingesting, inhaling, injecting, or absorbing radioactive materi-
als. Both external and internal sources may irradiate the whole body or a portion of
the body. The amount of radiation exposure is usually expressed in a unit called
millirem (mrem). In the United States, the average person is exposed to an effective
dose equivalent of approximately 360 mrem (whole-body exposure) per year from
all sources (NCRP Report No. 93).

Results of Exposure

Ionizing radiation affects people by depositing energy in body tissue, which can
cause cell damage or cell death. In some cases there may be no effect. In other
cases, the cell may survive but become abnormal, either temporarily or perma-
nently, or an abnormal cell may become malignant. Large doses of radiation can
cause extensive cellular damage and result in death. With smaller doses, the person
or particular irradiated organ(s) may survive, but the cells are damaged, increasing
the chance of cancer. The extent of the damage depends upon the total amount of
energy absorbed, the time period and dose rate of exposure, and the particular
organ(s) exposed.

Evidence of injury from low or moderate doses of radiation may not show up for
months or even years. For leukemia, the minimum time period between the radia-
tion exposure and the appearance of disease (latency period) is 2 years. For solid
tumors, the latency period is more than 5 years. The types of effects and their prob-
ability of occurrence can depend on whether the exposure occurs over a large part
of a person's lifespan (chronic) or during a very short portion of the lifespan (acute).
It should be noted that all of the health effects of exposure to radiation can also
occur in unexposed people due to other causes. Also, there is no detectable differ-
ence in appearance between radiation induced cancers and genetic effects and those
due to other causes.

Chronic Exposure

Chronic exposure is continuous or intermittent exposure to low levels of radiation

over a long period of time. Chronic exposure is considered to produce only effects
that can be observed some time following initial exposure. These include genetic
effects and other effects such as cancer, precancerous lesions, benign tumors, cata-
racts, skin changes, and congenital defects.

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Introduction

Acute Exposure

Acute exposure is exposure to a large, single dose of radiation, or a series of doses,

for a short period of time. Large acute doses can result from accidental or emer-
gency exposures or from special medical procedures (radiation therapy). In most
cases, a large acute exposure to radiation can cause both immediate and delayed
effects. For humans and other mammals, acute exposure, if large enough, can cause
rapid development of radiation sickness, evidenced by gastrointestinal disorders,
bacterial infections, hemorrhaging, anemia, loss of body fluids, and electrolyte
imbalance. Delayed biological effects can include cataracts, temporary sterility,
cancer, and genetic effects. Extremely high levels of acute radiation exposure can
result in death within a few hours, days or weeks.

Risks of Health Effects

All people are chronically exposed to background levels of radiation present in the
environment. Many people also receive additional chronic exposures and/or rela-
tively small acute exposures. For populations receiving such exposures, the primary
concern is that radiation could increase the risk of cancers or harmful genetic
effects.

The probability of a radiation-caused cancer or genetic effect is related to the total

amount of radiation accumulated by an individual. Based on current scientific evi-
dence, any exposure to radiation can be harmful (or can increase the risk of cancer);
however, at very low exposures, the estimated increases in risk are very small. For
this reason, cancer rates in populations receiving very low doses of radiation may
not show increases over the rates for unexposed populations.

For information on effects at high levels of exposure, scientists largely depend on

epidemiological data on survivors of the Japanese atomic bomb explosions and on
people receiving large doses of radiation medically. These data demonstrate a
higher incidence of cancer among exposed individuals and a greater probability of
cancer as the level of exposure increases. In the absence of more direct information,
that data is also used to estimate what the effects could be at lower exposures.
Where questions arise, scientists try to extrapolate based on information obtained
from laboratory experiments, but these extrapolations are acknowledged to be only
estimates. For radon, scientists largely depend on data collected on underground
miners. Professionals in the radiation protection field prudently assume that the
chance of a fatal cancer from radiation exposure increases in proportion to the mag-
nitude of the exposure and that the risk is as high for chronic exposure as it is for

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 Introduction

acute exposure. In other words, it is assumed that no radiation exposure is com-

pletely risk free.

Suggested Reading
• Cancer - Volume I, Frederick F. Becker, Editor, Plenum Press -1975.
• Radiation Protection - Second Edition, Jacob Shapiro, Harvard University Press
- 1981.
• Atoms. Radiation, and Radiation Protection, James E. Turner, Pergamon Press
1986.
• Ionizing Radiation Exposure of the Population of the United States- (NCRP
Report No. 93), National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements
(NCRP)-1987.
• Cember, H. Introduction to Health Physics. New York: Pergamon Press, 1983.
• Martin, A. and Harbison, S.A. An Introduction to Radiation Protection. 3rd ed.
London: Chapman and Hall, 1986.
• Shapiro, J. Radiation Protection. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1972.

Source of this Article:

http://www.epa.gov/radiation/ionize.htm

Office of Radiation & Indoor Air - Radiation Protection Division

US Environmental Protection Agency - EPA 402-F-98-009 - May 1998

Ionizing Radiation Series No. 1 and 2

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