Radiation Hazards and

its protection
Dr. Ihsan Bazirgan

Radiation Absorbed Dose

--RAD & Gray

RAD is a unit of measurement used to

describe the amount of energy transferred
from a source of ionizing radiation to any
material, including human tissue, sometimes
defined by the amount of energy deposited in
a unit mass in human tissue or other media.

The original unit is the rad [100 erg/g]; it is

now being widely replaced by the SI unit, the
gray (Gy) [1 J/kg], where 1 gray = 100 rad.

It is the quantity of radiation received by a

patient.
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The biological dose or Radiation

-Equivalent Man -REM
Different types of ionizing radiation cause differing
degrees of biological effects even when the same
level of energy is transferred (same number of
.ergs)
Rem is used to express the quantity of radiation
received by radiation workers and populations. In
. the SI system, it called Sievert (Sv)
This dose reflects the fact that the biological
damage caused by a particle depends not only on
the total energy deposited but also on the rate of
energy loss per unit distance traversed by the
particle
.Dosimeter are used to measure a dose equivalent
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Biological Effects of radiation

:Exposure above permissible levels may result in
Somatic

Effects

Physical effects
May be immediate or delayed

Genetic

Effects

Birth defects due to irradiation to

reproductive cells before conception

Teratogenic

Effects

Cancer or congenital malformation

due to radiation exposure to fetus in
utero
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Biological Effects
--Threshold
Threshold effects might occur if an individual
.receives a dose above the threshold level

Acute Radiation Syndrome: large whole body dose

in a short time

Effects occur at 100 rad or 1 Gray

Radiation-induced cataract formation

Acute effects occur at 200 rad or 2 gray
Chronic effects occur at 800 rad or 8 gray

Other thresholds
Severe skin injury occurs at 1,500 rad or 15 gray
Teratogenic effects occur at201320 rad 0.2 gray

Biological Effects
--Non-threshold
Non-threshold effects might occur from
.any amount of exposure to radiation
Chance of effect occurrence is proportional to
the received dose.
Severity of effects are not necessarily related to
exposure level.
Chance effects include:

Cancer - estimated to be 5 deaths per 10,000

persons, whom each
received 1,000 mrem (0.01 sieverts )
Genetic effects
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Summary of Biological Effects

of Radiation
Radiation

may
Deposit Energy in Body
Cause DNA Damage
Create Ionizations in Body
Leading to Free Radicals
Which may lead to biological damage

:Response to radiation depends on

Total

dose
Dose rate
Radiation quality
Stage of development at the time
of exposure

Radiation Protection

Minimize Exposure

When working with

radioactive material,
remember to minimize
your exposure at all
possible times.
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Maximum Permissible
Dose Limits (MPD)
State and Federal regulations set
maximum permissible yearly radiation
.dose (MPD) limits for adults
Exposure up to dose limits is not expected
.to cause adverse health effects

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As Low As Reasonably Achievable

(ALARA)
Always practice ALARA
AS LOW AS REASONABLY ACHIEVABLE

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?Why Practice ALARA

Any type of ionizing radiation poses some
.risk. As exposure increases, so does risk
Research shows that some peoples DNA
is more resistant or susceptible to
damage, and some people have an
increased risk of cancer after exposure to
.ionizing radiation
.Limit your exposure whenever possible
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Three Effective Strategies

--Time
Minimize the time and you will
.minimize the dose
Pre-plan the experiment/procedure to
.minimize exposure time

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Three Effective Strategies

--Distance
Doubling the distance from the source can
.reduce your exposure intensity by 25%
Use forceps, tongs, and trays to increase
.your distance from the radiation source
Move the item being worked on away from
.the radiation area if possible
Know the radiation intensity where you
perform most of your work, and move to
.lower dose areas during work delays

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Three Effective Strategies

--Shielding
Position shielding between yourself and the
source of radiation at all permissible times.
Take advantage of permanent shielding (i.e.
.equipment or existing structures)
Select appropriate shielding material during
the planning stages of the
. experiment/procedure
Plexiglas, plywood and lead are effective in
shielding radiation exposure. Use the proper
shielding for the type of radioactive material
.present
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Shielding X-Rays & Gamma Rays

Lead shielding will reduce the intensity
of x-rays
and gamma rays being emitted from a
source of
radiation.

To reduce exposure by a certain

desired percent,
Remember:
lead shielding
must be a certain
Lead shielding does not reduce exposure by 100%.
thickness for each
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type of emitter.

Room shielding

Lead lined plaster board

Lead glass viewing window

Personal Protective Equipment

Fig 3. Overshoes
Often worn routinely in the
Radiopharmacy for sterility reasons.
Not always otherwise worn routinely
to
prevent
the
spread
of
contamination, but widely used for
this purpose following a spillage.

Radiation protection in X-ray

Radiation Safety
--Laboratory Rules
Smoking, eating, and drinking are not. 1
.permitted in radionuclide laboratories
Food and food containers are not. 2
.permitted in the laboratory
Radionuclide work areas shall be clearly. 3
designated and should be isolated from
. the rest of the laboratory
All work surfaces shall be covered with. 4
absorbent paper which should be
changed regularly to prevent the buildup
.of contamination
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Radiation Safety
--Laboratory Rules
Protective clothing shall be worn when. 5
working with radioactive materials.
This includes laboratory coats, gloves,
.and safety glasses
Dosimeters shall be worn when. 6
working with relatively large quantities
of radionuclides which emit
.penetrating radiation
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Radiation Safety
--Laboratory Rules
All containers of radioactive materials. 7
and items suspected or known to be
contaminated shall be properly labeled
with tape or tagged with the radiation
.logo and the word RADIOACTIVE
All contaminated waste items shall be. 8
placed in a container specifically
. designed for radioactive waste
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Warning Labels
Mark all items used to manipulate or store
.radioactive material
.Label all contaminated items

Remove all radiation

labels and warnings
on containers that no
longer contain
radioactive material
and are not

CAUTION:
Radioactive
Material

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Warning Label Requirements

MUST be clearly visible, durable, and MUST
state:
CAUTION: RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
Labels must provide sufficient information on
the container to minimize exposure and to make
.sure all proper precautions have been taken
Radionuclide(s)
Estimated activity
Date

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Radioactive Waste Disposal

Radioactive

waste includes anything that

contains or is contaminated with radioactive
material.

Collect

radioactive waste in proper containers.

Keep

containers closed and secured unless you

are adding waste.

Report

the proper information on the

radioactive waste tag when material is put in
the waste container.

Keep

a tag on the waste container at all times.

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THANKS

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