Radiation - in an accessible language. Radiation: types, sources, effects of radiation on humans

What is radiation?
The term "radiation" comes from the Latin. radius is a ray, and in the broadest sense covers all types of radiation in general. Visible light and radio waves are also, strictly speaking, radiation, but it is customary to mean by radiation only ionizing radiation, that is, those whose interaction with matter leads to the formation of ions in it.
There are several types of ionizing radiation:
- alpha radiation - is a stream of helium nuclei
- beta radiation - a stream of electrons or positrons
- gamma radiation - electromagnetic radiation with a frequency of about 10 ^ 20 Hz.
- X-ray radiation - also electromagnetic radiation with a frequency of about 10 ^ 18 Hz.
- neutron radiation - the flux of neutrons.

What is alpha radiation?
These are heavy positively charged particles, consisting of two protons and two neutrons, tightly bound together. In nature, alpha particles are produced by the decay of atoms of heavy elements such as uranium, radium, and thorium. In the air, alpha radiation travels no more than five centimeters and, as a rule, is completely blocked by a sheet of paper or the outer dead layer of the skin. However, if a substance that emits alpha particles enters the body with food or inhaled air, it irradiates the internal organs and becomes potentially dangerous.

What is beta radiation?
Electrons or positrons, which are much smaller than alpha particles and can penetrate several centimeters deep into the body. You can protect yourself from it with a thin sheet of metal, window glass and even ordinary clothing. Getting to unprotected areas of the body, beta radiation has an effect, as a rule, on the upper layers of the skin. If a substance that emits beta particles enters the body, it will irradiate internal tissues.

What is neutron radiation?
Flux of neutrons, neutrally charged particles. Neutron radiation is produced during the fission of an atomic nucleus and has a high penetrating power. Neutrons can be stopped by a thick concrete, water or paraffin barrier. Fortunately, in peaceful life nowhere but in the immediate vicinity nuclear reactors, neutron radiation is practically non-existent.

What is gamma radiation?
An electromagnetic wave that carries energy. In the air, it can travel long distances, gradually losing energy as a result of collisions with the atoms of the medium. Intense gamma radiation, if not protected from it, can damage not only the skin, but also internal tissues.

What type of radiation is used in fluoroscopy?
X-ray radiation - electromagnetic radiation with a frequency of about 10 ^ 18 Hz.
It arises when electrons moving at high speeds interact with matter. When electrons collide with atoms of any substance, they quickly lose their kinetic energy. In this case, most of it is converted into heat, and a small fraction, usually less than 1%, is converted into X-ray energy.
In relation to X-ray and gamma radiation, the terms "hard" and "soft" are often used. This is a relative characteristic of its energy and the penetrating power of radiation associated with it: "hard" - greater energy and penetrating power, "soft" - less. X-rays are soft, gamma rays are hard.

Is there a place without radiation at all?
Hardly ever. Radiation is an ancient environmental factor. There are many natural sources of radiation: these are natural radionuclides contained in the earth's crust, building materials, air, food and water, as well as cosmic rays. On average, they determine more than 80% of the annual effective dose received by the population, mainly due to internal exposure.

What is radioactivity?
Radioactivity is the property of the atoms of an element to spontaneously transform into atoms of other elements. This process is accompanied by ionizing radiation, i.e. radiation.

How is radiation measured?
Given that "radiation" is not a measurable quantity in itself, there are different units for measuring different types of radiation, as well as pollution.
Separately, the concepts of absorbed, exposure, equivalent and effective dose, as well as the concept of equivalent dose rate and background are used.
In addition, for each radionuclide (radioactive isotope of an element), the activity of the radionuclide, the specific activity of the radionuclide, and the half-life are measured.

What is absorbed dose and how is it measured?
Dose, absorbed dose (from Greek - share, portion) - determines the amount of ionizing radiation energy absorbed by the irradiated substance. Characterizes the physical effect of irradiation in any medium, including biological tissue, and is often calculated per unit mass of this substance.
It is measured in units of energy that is released in a substance (absorbed by a substance) when ionizing radiation passes through it.
Units of measurement are rad, gray.
Rad (rad is short for radiation absorbed dose) is a non-systemic unit of absorbed dose. Corresponds to the radiation energy of 100 erg absorbed by a substance weighing 1 gram
1 rad = 100 erg/g = 0.01 J/kg = 0.01 Gy = 2.388 x 10-6 cal/g
With an exposure dose of 1 roentgen, the absorbed dose in air will be 0.85 rad (85 erg/g).
Gray (Gr.) - a unit of absorbed dose in the SI system of units. Corresponds to the radiation energy of 1 J absorbed by 1 kg of matter.
1 Gr. \u003d 1 J / kg \u003d 104 erg / g \u003d 100 rad.

What is exposure dose and how is it measured?
The exposure dose is determined by the ionization of air, that is, by the total charge of ions formed in the air during the passage of ionizing radiation through it.
Units of measurement are roentgens, pendant per kilogram.
Roentgen (R) is an off-system unit of exposure dose. This is the amount of gamma or X-ray radiation, which in 1 cm3 of dry air (having under normal conditions a weight of 0.001293 g) forms 2.082 x 109 pairs of ions. When converted to 1 g of air, this will be 1.610 x 1012 pairs of ions or 85 erg / g of dry air. Thus, the physical energy equivalent of an X-ray is 85 erg/g for air.
1 C/kg is the unit of exposure dose in the SI system. This is the amount of gamma or X-ray radiation, which in 1 kg of dry air forms 6.24 x 1018 pairs of ions, which carry a charge of 1 pendant of each sign. The physical equivalent of 1 C/kg is 33 J/kg (for air).
The relationship between X-ray and C/kg is as follows:
1 R \u003d 2.58 x 10-4 C / kg - exactly.
1 C / kg \u003d 3.88 x 103 R - approximately.

What is equivalent dose and how is it measured?
The equivalent dose is equal to the absorbed dose calculated for a person, taking into account the coefficients that take into account the different ability of different types of radiation to damage body tissues.
For example, for X-ray, gamma, beta radiation, this coefficient (it is called the radiation quality factor) is 1, and for alpha radiation it is 20. That is, with the same absorbed dose, alpha radiation will cause 20 times more harm to the body than, for example, gamma radiation.
Units rem and sievert.
Rem is the biological equivalent of a rad (formerly an x-ray). Non-systemic unit of equivalent dose. In general:
1 rem = 1 rad * K = 100 erg / g * K = 0.01 Gy * K = 0.01 J / kg * K = 0.01 Sievert,
where K is the radiation quality factor, see definition of equivalent dose
For x-ray, gamma, beta radiation, electrons and positrons, 1 rem corresponds to an absorbed dose of 1 rad.
1 rem = 1 rad = 100 erg/g = 0.01 Gy = 0.01 J/kg = 0.01 Sievert
Given that at an exposure dose of 1 roentgen, air absorbs approximately 85 erg/g (the physical equivalent of an roentgen), and biological tissue approximately 94 erg/g (the biological equivalent of an roentgen), we can assume with a minimum error that an exposure dose of 1 roentgen for a biological tissue corresponds to an absorbed dose of 1 rad and an equivalent dose of 1 rem (for X-rays, gamma, beta radiation, electrons and positrons), that is, roughly speaking, 1 roentgen, 1 rad and 1 rem are one and the same.
Sievert (Sv) is the SI unit of equivalent and effective equivalent doses. 1 Sv is equal to the equivalent dose at which the product of the absorbed dose in Gray (in biological tissue) and the coefficient K will be equal to 1 J/kg. In other words, this is such an absorbed dose at which energy of 1 J is released in 1 kg of a substance.
In general:
1 Sv = 1 Gy * K = 1 J/kg * K = 100 rad * K = 100 rem * K
At K=1 (for X-ray, gamma, beta radiation, electrons and positrons) 1 Sv corresponds to an absorbed dose of 1 Gy:
1 Sv \u003d 1 Gy \u003d 1 J / kg \u003d 100 rad \u003d 100 rem.

The effective equivalent dose is equal to the equivalent dose calculated taking into account the different sensitivity of various organs of the body to radiation. The effective dose takes into account not only that different types of radiation have different biological effectiveness, but also that some parts of the human body (organs, tissues) are more sensitive to radiation than others. For example, at the same equivalent dose, lung cancer is more likely to occur than thyroid cancer. Thus, the effective dose reflects the total effect of human exposure in terms of long-term effects.
To calculate the effective dose, the equivalent dose received by a specific organ or tissue is multiplied by the appropriate coefficient.
For the whole organism, this coefficient is equal to 1, and for some organs it has the following values:
bone marrow (red) - 0.12
thyroid gland - 0.05
lungs, stomach, large intestine - 0.12
gonads (ovaries, testes) - 0.20
skin - 0.01
To estimate the total effective equivalent dose received by a person, calculate and sum the indicated doses for all organs.
The unit of measurement is the same as that of the equivalent dose - "rem", "sievert"

What is dose equivalent rate and how is it measured?
The dose received per unit of time is called the dose rate. The higher the dose rate, the faster the radiation dose increases.
For SI equivalent dose, the unit of dose rate is sievert per second (Sv/s), the off-system unit is rem per second (rem/s). In practice, their derivatives are most often used (µSv/h, mrem/h, etc.)

What is background, natural background, and how is it measured?
Background is another name for the exposure dose rate of ionizing radiation at a given location.
Natural background - the exposure dose rate of ionizing radiation in a given place, created only by natural sources of radiation.
The units of measurement are rem and sievert respectively.
Often, background and natural background are measured in roentgens (microroentgens, etc.), roughly equating roentgen and rem (see the question of equivalent dose).

What is the activity of a radionuclide and how is it measured?
The amount of radioactive material is measured not only in units of mass (gram, milligram, etc.), but also in activity, which is equal to the number of nuclear transformations (decays) per unit of time. The more nuclear transformations the atoms of a given substance experience per second, the higher its activity and the greater the danger it can pose to humans.
The SI unit of activity is disintegration per second (disp/s). This unit is called the becquerel (Bq). 1 Bq equals 1 spread/s.
The most commonly used non-systemic unit of activity is curie (Ci). 1 Ki equals 3.7*10 in 10 Bq, which corresponds to the activity of 1 g of radium.

What is the specific surface activity of a radionuclide?
This is the activity of a radionuclide per unit area. It is usually used to characterize the radioactive contamination of a territory (density of radioactive contamination).
Units of measurement - Bq/m2, Bq/km2, Ci/m2, Ci/km2.

What is a half-life and how is it measured?
The half-life (T1 / 2, also denoted by the Greek letter "lambda", half-life) is the time during which half of the radioactive atoms decay and their number decreases by 2 times. The value is strictly constant for each radionuclide. The half-lives of all radionuclides are different - from fractions of a second (short-lived radionuclides) to billions of years (long-lived).
This does not mean that after a time equal to two T1/2, the radionuclide will decay completely. After T1 / 2, the radionuclide will become half as much, after 2 * T1 / 2 - four times, etc. Theoretically, a radionuclide will never completely decay.

Limits and norms of exposure

(how and where can I get irradiated and what will happen to me for it?)

Is it true that when flying on an airplane, you can get an additional dose of radiation?
In general, yes. Specific figures depend on the flight altitude, type of aircraft, weather and route; the background in the aircraft cabin can be approximately estimated as 200-400 μR / H.

Is it dangerous to do fluorography or radiography?
Although the picture takes only a fraction of a second, the radiation power is very high and the person receives a sufficient dose of radiation. No wonder the radiologist hides behind a steel wall when taking a picture.
Approximate effective doses for irradiated organs:
fluorography in one projection - 1.0 mSv
lung X-ray - 0.4 mZ
skull image in two projections - 0.22 mSv
tooth image - 0.02mSv
image of the nose (maxillary sinuses) - 0.02 mSv
image of the lower leg (legs due to a fracture) - 0.08 mSv
These figures are correct for one image (unless otherwise noted), with a working X-ray machine and the use of protective equipment. For example, when taking a picture of the lungs, it is not at all necessary to irradiate the head and everything below the waist. Demand a lead apron and collar, they should be given to you. The dose received during the examination is necessarily recorded in the patient's personal card.
And finally - any doctor who sends you for an x-ray is obliged to evaluate the risk of excess exposure compared to how much your x-rays will help him for more effective treatment.

Radiation at industrial facilities, landfills, abandoned buildings?

Radiation sources can be found anywhere, even in a residential building, for example. Radioisotope smoke detectors (RID) were once used in which isotopes emitting Alpha, Beta and Gamma radiation were used, all kinds of instrument scales produced before the 60s, on which paint was applied, which included Radium-226 salts, were found in landfills gamma flaw detectors, test sources for dosimeters, etc.

Methods and control devices.

What instruments can measure radiation?
: The main instruments are a radiometer and a dosimeter. There are combined devices - a dosimeter-radiometer. The most common are household dosimeters-radiometers: Terra-P, Pripyat, Pine, Stora-Tu, Bella, etc. There are military devices such as DP-5, DP-2, DP-3, etc.

What is the difference between a radiometer and a dosimeter?
The radiometer shows the radiation dose rate here and now. But to assess the effect of radiation on the body, it is not the power that is important, but the dose received.
A dosimeter is a device that, by measuring the dose rate of radiation, multiplies it by the time of exposure to radiation, thereby calculating the equivalent dose received by the owner. Household dosimeters, as a rule, measure only the dose rate of gamma radiation (some also beta radiation), the weight factor of which (radiation quality factor) is equal to 1.
Therefore, even in the absence of a dosimeter function in the device, the dose rate measured in R/h can be divided by 100 and multiplied by the exposure time, thus obtaining the desired dose value in Sieverts. Or, which is the same, by multiplying the measured dose rate by the exposure time, we get the equivalent dose in rem.
A simple analogy - the speedometer in a car shows the instantaneous speed "radiometer" and the kilometer integrates this speed over time, showing the distance traveled by the car ("dosimeter").

Deactivation.

Methods for deactivating equipment
Radioactive dust on contaminated equipment is held by forces of attraction (adhesion); the magnitude of these forces depends on the properties of the surface and the medium in which the attraction occurs. The adhesion forces in air are much greater than in liquids. In the case of contamination of equipment covered with oily contamination, the adhesion of radioactive dust is determined by the adhesion strength of the oily layer itself.
During deactivation, two processes take place:
detachment of particles of radioactive dust from the contaminated surface;
removing them from the surface of the object.

Based on this, the methods of decontamination are based either on mechanical removal radioactive dust (sweeping, blowing, dust extraction), or on the use of physical and chemical washing processes(washing away of radioactive dust with detergent solutions).
Due to the fact that partial decontamination differs from full only in the thoroughness and completeness of processing, the methods of partial and complete decontamination are almost the same and depend only on the availability of technical means of decontamination and decontamination solutions.

All methods of decontamination can be divided into two groups: liquid and non-liquid. Intermediate between them is the gas-drop method of decontamination.
Liquid methods include:
Rinsing of RV with decontaminating solutions, water and solvents (gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuel, etc.) using brushes or rags;
Washing off the RV with a jet of water under pressure.
When processing equipment with these methods, the detachment of RV particles from the surface occurs in a liquid medium when the adhesion forces are weakened. Transportation of detached particles during their removal is also provided by the liquid flowing down from the object.
Since the velocity of the liquid layer directly adjacent to the solid surface is very low, the velocity of movement of dust grains is also low, especially very small ones completely submerged in a thin boundary layer of the liquid. Therefore, to achieve sufficient completeness of decontamination, it is necessary to simultaneously wipe the surface with a brush or rag, use detergent solutions that facilitate the separation of radioactive contaminants and keep them in solution, or use a powerful jet of water with high pressure and liquid flow rate per unit surface.
Liquid treatment methods are highly efficient and versatile, almost all existing standard decontamination technical means are designed for liquid treatment methods. The most effective of them is the method of washing off RS with decontaminating solutions using brushes (allows to reduce the contamination of the object by 50-80 times), and the fastest way to perform is the method of washing RS with a jet of water. The method of washing RV with decontaminating solutions, water and solvents using rags is mainly used for decontaminating the internal surfaces of a car cabin, various devices that are sensitive to large volumes of water and decontaminating solutions.
The choice of one or another method of liquid treatment depends on the presence of decontaminating substances, the capacity of water sources, technical means and the type of equipment to be decontaminated.
Non-liquid methods include the following:
Sweeping radioactive dust from the object with brooms and other auxiliary materials;
removal of radioactive dust by dust extraction;
Blowing off radioactive dust with compressed air.
When implementing these methods, the detachment of particles of radioactive dust is carried out in the air, when the adhesion forces are high. Existing ways(dust extraction, air jet from the car compressor) it is impossible to create a sufficiently powerful air stream. All these methods are effective in removing dry radioactive dust from dry, not oily and not heavily contaminated objects. personnel technical means decontamination military equipment The non-liquid method (dust extraction) is currently the DK-4 kit, with which you can process equipment in both liquid and non-liquid methods.
Liquid-free methods of decontamination can reduce the contamination of objects:
sweeping - 2 - 4 times;
dust extraction - 5 - 10 times;
blowing with compressed air from the car compressor - 2-3 times.
The gas-drop method consists in blowing the object with a powerful gas-drop stream.
The source of the gas flow is an air-jet engine, at the outlet of the nozzle, water is introduced into the gas flow, which is crushed into small drops.
The essence of the method lies in the fact that a liquid film is formed on the treated surface, due to which the cohesion (adhesion) forces of dust particles with the surface are weakened and a powerful gas flow blows them off the object.
The gas-drop method of decontamination is carried out using heat engines (TMS-65, UTM), it allows to exclude manual labor during special processing of military equipment.
The decontamination time of a KAMAZ vehicle with a gas-droplet flow is 1-2 minutes, the water consumption is 140 liters, the contamination is reduced by 50-100 times.
When decontaminating equipment by any of the liquid or non-liquid methods, it is necessary to observe next order processing:
object to start processing from upper parts, gradually going down;
Consistently process the entire surface without gaps;
· Treat each area of ​​the surface 2-3 times, treat rough surfaces especially carefully with increased fluid consumption;
When processing with solutions using brushes and rags, thoroughly wipe the surface to be treated;
· when processing with a jet of water, direct the jet at an angle of 30 - 60 ° to the surface, being 3 - 4 m from the object being processed;
· make sure that splashes and liquid flowing from the treated object do not fall on people performing decontamination.

Behavior in situations of potential radiation hazard.

If they told me that a nuclear power plant had exploded nearby, where should I run?
Nowhere to run. First, you could be deceived. Secondly, in case of real danger, it is best to trust the actions of professionals. And in order to learn about these very actions, it is advisable to be at home, turn on the radio or TV. As a precautionary measure, it can be recommended to close windows and doors tightly, keep children and pets out of the street, and wet clean the apartment.

What medicines should be taken so that there is no harm from radiation?
In case of accidents at nuclear power plants, it is released into the atmosphere a large number of radioactive isotope iodine-131, which accumulates in the thyroid gland, which leads to internal radiation exposure of the body and can cause thyroid cancer. Therefore, in the first days after the contamination of the territory (or better before this contamination), it is necessary to saturate the thyroid gland with ordinary iodine, then the body will be immune to its radioactive isotope. Drinking iodine from a vial is extremely harmful, there are various tablets - ordinary potassium iodide, iodine active, iodomarin, etc., they all represent the same potassium iodine.
If there is no potassium iodine nearby, and the area is contaminated, then in extreme cases, you can drop a couple of drops of ordinary iodine into a glass of water or jelly and drink it.
The half-life of iodine-131 is just over 8 days. Accordingly, after two weeks, in any case, you can forget about taking iodine inside.

Table of doses of radiation.

AT last years we can hear more and more about the radioactive threat to all of humanity. Unfortunately, this is true, and, as the experience of the Chernobyl accident and the nuclear bomb in Japanese cities has shown, radiation can turn from a faithful assistant into a fierce enemy. And in order to know what radiation is and how to protect yourself from its negative effects, let's try to analyze all the available information.

Impact of radioactive elements on human health

Every person at least once in his life came across the concept of "radiation". But what is radiation and how dangerous it is, few people know. To understand this issue in more detail, it is necessary to carefully study all types of radiation effects on humans and nature. Radiation is the process of radiation of a stream of elementary particles electromagnetic field. The effect of radiation on human life and health is commonly referred to as irradiation. In the process of this phenomenon, radiation multiplies in the cells of the body and thereby destroys it. Radiation exposure is especially dangerous for young children, whose bodies have not sufficiently formed and become stronger. Human Defeat similar phenomenon can cause the most serious diseases: infertility, cataracts, infectious diseases and tumors (both malignant and benign). In any case, radiation does not benefit human life, but only destroys it. But do not forget that you can protect yourself and purchase a radiation dosimeter, with which you will always know about the radioactive level of the environment.

In fact, the body reacts to radiation, not to its source. Radioactive substances enter the human body through the air (during the respiratory process), as well as when eating food and water, which were initially irradiated with a stream of radiation rays. The most dangerous radiation, perhaps, is internal. It is carried out to treat certain diseases when radioisotopes are used in medical diagnostics.

Types of radiation

To answer the question of what radiation is as clearly as possible, one should consider its varieties. According to the nature and effects on humans, there are several types of radiation:

1. Alpha particles are heavy particles that have a positive charge and appear in the form of a helium nucleus. Their impact on the human body is sometimes irreversible.
2. Beta particles are ordinary electrons.
3. Gamma radiation - has high level penetration.
4. Neutrons are electrically charged neutral particles that exist only in those places where there is a nuclear reactor nearby. To an ordinary person not feel this species radiation on your body, since access to the reactor is very limited.
5. X-rays are perhaps the safest form of radiation. Essentially similar to gamma radiation. However, the most striking example of X-ray radiation can be called the Sun, which illuminates our planet. Thanks to the atmosphere, people are protected from high background radiation.

Alpha, Beta and Gamma emitting particles are considered to be extremely dangerous. They can cause genetic diseases, malignant tumors and even death. By the way, the nuclear power plant radiation emitted into the environment, according to experts, is not dangerous, although it combines almost all types of radioactive contamination. Sometimes antiques and antiques are treated with radiation to avoid rapid deterioration of cultural heritage. However, radiation quickly reacts with living cells, and subsequently destroys them. Therefore, one should be wary of antiquities. Clothing serves as elementary protection against the penetration of external radiation. You should not count on complete protection from radiation on a sunny hot day. In addition, radiation sources may not give themselves away for a long time and be active at the moment when you are around.

How to measure the level of radiation

The level of radiation can be measured with a dosimeter both in industrial and domestic households. For those who live near nuclear power plants, or people who are simply concerned about their safety, this device will be simply indispensable. The main purpose of such a device as a radiation dosimeter is to measure the dose rate of radiation. This indicator can be checked not only with respect to a person and a room. Sometimes you have to pay attention to some items that can be dangerous to humans. Children's toys, food and Construction Materials- each of the objects can be endowed with a certain dose of radiation. For those residents who live near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, where a terrible disaster occurred in 1986, it is simply necessary to buy a dosimeter in order to always be on the alert and know what dose of radiation is present in the environment at a particular moment. Fans of extreme entertainment, trips to places remote from civilization should provide themselves with items for their own safety in advance. It is impossible to clean the earth, building materials or food from radiation. Therefore, it is better to avoid adverse effects on your body.

Computer - source of radiation

Perhaps many people think so. However, this is not quite true. A certain level of radiation comes only from the monitor, and even then, only from the electro-beam. At the present time, manufacturers do not produce such equipment, which has been excellently replaced by liquid crystal and plasma screens. But in many homes, old electric beam TVs and monitors are still functioning. They are a rather weak source of X-ray radiation. Due to the thickness of the glass, this very radiation remains on it and does not harm human health. Therefore, do not worry too much.

Radiation dose relative to terrain

It can be said with extreme accuracy that natural radiation is a very variable parameter. Depending on the geographical location and a certain time period, this indicator may vary within a wide range. For example, the radiation rate on Moscow streets ranges from 8 to 12 micro-roentgens per hour. But on the mountain peaks, it will be 5 times higher, since there the protective capabilities of the atmosphere are much lower than in settlements that are closer to the level of the world ocean. It should be noted that in places of accumulation of dust and sand, saturated high content uranium or thorium, the background radiation level will be significantly increased. To determine the radiation background at home, you should purchase a dosimeter-radiometer and perform appropriate measurements indoors or outdoors.

Radiation protection and its types

Recently, more and more often you can hear discussions on the topic of what radiation is and how to deal with it. And in the process of discussions, such a term as radiation protection emerges. Radiation protection is commonly understood as a set of specific measures to protect living organisms from the effects of ionizing radiation, as well as the search for ways to reduce the damaging effect of ionizing radiation.

There are several types of radiation protection:

1. Chemical. This is a weakening of the negative effect of radiation on the body by introducing into it some chemicals called radioprotectors.
2. Physical. This application various materials that reduce background radiation. For example, if the layer of earth that was exposed to radiation is 10 cm, then a mound 1 meter thick will reduce the amount of radiation by 10 times.
3. biological radiation protection. It is a complex of protective repairing enzymes.

To protect against different types of radiation, you can use some household items:

• From alpha radiation - a respirator, paper, rubber gloves.
• From Beta radiation - a gas mask, glass, a small layer of aluminum, plexiglass.
• From Gamma radiation - only heavy metals (lead, cast iron, steel, tungsten).
• From neutrons - various polymers, as well as water and polyethylene.

Elementary methods of protection against radiation exposure

For a person who finds himself within the radius of the radiation contamination zone, the most important issue at this point will be his own protection. Therefore, anyone who has become an unwitting prisoner of the spread of radiation levels should definitely leave their location and go as far as possible. The faster a person does this, the less likely it is to receive a certain and unwanted dose of radioactive substances. If leaving your home is not possible, then you should resort to other security measures:

• the first few days do not leave the house;
• do wet cleaning 2-3 times a day;
• shower and wash clothes as often as possible;
• to protect the body from harmful radioactive iodine-131, one should anoint small plot bodies with a solution of medical iodine (according to doctors, this procedure is effective for a month);
• in case of urgent need to leave the premises, it is worth putting a baseball cap and a hood on your head at the same time, as well as wet clothes light colors from cotton material.

It is dangerous to drink radioactive water, since its total radiation is quite high and can have negative impact on the human body. The easiest way to clean it is to pass it through a charcoal filter. Of course, the shelf life of such a filter cassette is drastically reduced. Therefore, you need to change the cassette as often as possible. Another untested method is boiling. The guarantee of cleaning from radon will not be 100% in any of the cases.

Proper diet in case of danger of radiation exposure

It is well known that in the process of discussions on the topic of what radiation is, the question arises of how to protect yourself from it, what to eat and what vitamins to use. There is a list of products that are the most dangerous for consumption. The largest number radionuclides accumulate in fish, mushrooms and meat. Therefore, it is worth limiting yourself in the use of these foods. Vegetables should be thoroughly washed, boiled and cut off the top peel. best products sunflower seeds, offal - kidneys, heart, and eggs can be considered for use during the period of radioactive radiation. You need to eat as much iodine-containing products as possible. Therefore, each person should buy iodized salt and seafood.

Some people believe that red wine will protect against radionuclides. There is some truth in this. When drinking 200 ml per day of this drink, the body becomes less vulnerable to radiation. But the accumulated radionuclides cannot be removed with wine, so the total radiation still remains. However, some substances contained in the wine drink can block harmful effect radiation elements. However, in order to avoid problems, it is necessary to remove harmful substances from the body with the help of medicines.

Medical radiation protection

A certain proportion of radionuclides that have entered the body can be tried to be removed using sorbent preparations. The simplest means that can weaken the effects of radiation include activated charcoal, which must be consumed 2 tablets before meals. A similar property is endowed with such medications as Enterosgel and Atoxil. They block harmful elements, enveloping them, and remove them from the body with the help of the urinary system. At the same time, harmful radioactive elements, even remaining in the body in small quantities, will not be able to have a significant impact on human health.

The use of herbal preparations against radiation

In the fight against the excretion of radionuclides, not only medicines purchased at a pharmacy can help, but also some types of herbs that will cost many times less. For example, lungwort, zamaniha and ginseng root can be attributed to radioprotective plants. In addition, to reduce the level of concentration of radionuclides, it is recommended to use an extract of Eleutherococcus in the amount of half a teaspoon after breakfast, drinking this tincture with warm tea.

Can a person be a source of radiation

When exposed to the human body, radiation does not create radioactive substances in it. It follows from this that a person by himself cannot be a source of radiation. However, things that have been touched by a dangerous dose of radiation are not safe for health. There is an opinion that it is better not to keep x-rays at home. But they won't really hurt anyone. The only thing to remember is that X-rays should not be taken too often, otherwise it can lead to health problems, since there is still a dose of radioactive exposure there.

Today, even small children are aware of the existence of invisible deadly rays. From the screens of computers and TVs, we are frightened by the terrible consequences of radiation: post-apocalyptic films and games are still fashionable. However, only a few can give a clear answer to the question "what is radiation?". And further less people realize how real the risk of exposure is. Moreover, not somewhere in Chernobyl or Hiroshima, but in his own house.

What is radiation?

In fact, the term "radiation" does not necessarily mean "lethal rays". Thermal or, for example, solar radiation poses practically no threat to the life and health of living organisms living on the surface of the Earth. Of all the known types of radiation, only ionizing radiation, which physicists also call electromagnetic or corpuscular. Here it is the very "radiation" about the dangers of which they talk about on TV screens.

Ionizing gamma and X-rays - the "radiation" that they talk about on TV screens

The peculiarity of ionizing radiation is that, unlike other types of radiation, it has only great energy and when interacting with a substance causes ionization of its molecules and atoms. Electrically neutral particles of a substance before irradiation are excited, resulting in the formation of free electrons, as well as positively and negatively charged ions.

The most common are four types of ionizing radiation: alpha, beta, gamma, and X-ray (has the same properties as gamma). They consist of different particles, and therefore have different energies and, accordingly, different penetrating power. The "weakest" in this sense is alpha radiation, which is a stream of positively charged alpha particles, unable to "leak" even through an ordinary sheet of paper (or human skin). Beta radiation, consisting of electrons, penetrates the skin already by 1-2 cm, but it is quite possible to protect yourself from it. But there is practically no escape from gamma radiation: only a thick lead or reinforced concrete wall can hold back high-energy photons (or gamma quanta). However, the fact that alpha and beta particles are easy to stop even with an insignificant barrier like paper does not mean at all that they will not enter the body in any way. Respiratory organs, microtraumas on the skin and mucous membranes are "open gates" for radiation with low penetrating power.

Units of measurement and norm of radiation

The main measure of exposure to radiation is considered to be the exposure dose. It is measured in R (roentgens) or derivatives (mR, μR) and represents the total amount of energy that the source of ionizing radiation managed to transfer to an object or organism during irradiation. Since different types of radiation have different degrees of danger with the same amount of energy transferred, it is customary to calculate another indicator - the equivalent dose. It is measured in B (rems), Sv (sieverts) or their derivatives and is calculated as the product of the exposure dose and the coefficient characterizing the quality of the radiation (for beta and gamma radiation, the quality factor is 1, for alpha - 20). To assess the strength of the ionizing radiation itself, other indicators are used: the exposure and equivalent dose rate (measured in R / s or derivatives: mR / s, μR / h, mR / h), as well as the flux density (measured in (cm 2 min) -1) for alpha and beta radiation.

Today it is generally accepted that ionizing radiation with a dose rate below 30 μR / h is absolutely safe for health. But everything is relative ... As recent studies have shown, different people have different resistance to ionizing radiation. Approximately 20% have increased sensitivity, the same number - reduced. The effects of exposure to low doses usually appear years later or do not appear at all, affecting only the descendants of the person affected by radiation. So, the safety of small doses (slightly higher than the norm) is still one of the most discussed issues.

Radiation and man

So, what is the effect of radiation on the health of humans and other living beings? As already noted, ionizing radiation penetrates the body in various ways and causes ionization (excitation) of atoms and molecules. Further, under the influence of ionization, free radicals are formed in the cells of a living organism, which violate the integrity of proteins, DNA, RNA, and other complex biological compounds. Which in turn leads to massive cell death, carcinogenesis and mutagenesis.

In other words, the effect of radiation on the human body is destructive. With strong exposure, negative effects appear almost immediately: high doses cause radiation sickness different degrees severity, burns, blindness, the occurrence of malignant neoplasms. But no less dangerous are small doses, which until recently were considered "harmless" (today, everyone comes to this conclusion). more researchers). The only difference is that the effects of radiation do not affect immediately, but after several years, sometimes decades. Leukemia, cancerous tumors, mutations, deformities, disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, circulatory system, mental and mental development, schizophrenia - this is far from full list diseases that can cause low doses of ionizing radiation.

Even a small exposure leads to catastrophic consequences. But radiation is especially dangerous for young children and the elderly. So, according to the specialists of our website www.site, the probability of developing leukemia during exposure to low doses increases by 2 times for children under 10 years old and by 4 times for infants who were in the womb at the time of exposure. Radiation and health are literally incompatible!

Radiation protection

A characteristic feature of radiation is that it does not "dissolve" in the environment, like harmful chemical compounds. Even after removing the radiation source, the background remains elevated for a long time. Therefore, a clear and unambiguous answer to the question "how to deal with radiation?" does not exist so far. It is clear that in the event of a nuclear war (for example) special means radiation protection: special suits, bunkers, etc. But this is for "emergencies". But what about small doses, which are still considered by many to be "virtually safe"?

It is known that "the salvation of the drowning is the work of the drowning themselves." While researchers are deciding which dose should be recognized as dangerous and which should not, it is better to buy a device that measures radiation yourself and go around territories and objects for a mile away, even if they “radiate” quite a bit (at the same time, the question “how to recognize radiation?” Will be solved, because with a dosimeter in hand, you will always be aware of the surrounding background). Moreover, in a modern city, radiation can be found in any, even the most unexpected places.

And finally, a few words about how to remove radiation from the body. To speed up the cleansing as quickly as possible, doctors recommend:

1. Physical exercise, bath and sauna - accelerate metabolism, stimulate blood circulation and, therefore, contribute to the removal of any harmful substances from the body naturally.

2. Healthy diet - special attention should be paid to vegetables and fruits rich in antioxidants (this is the diet prescribed for cancer patients after chemotherapy). Entire "deposits" of antioxidants are found in blueberries, cranberries, grapes, mountain ash, currants, beets, pomegranates and other sour and sour-sweet fruits of red hues.

"we learn: "
Radiation(from Latin radiātiō "shine", "radiation"):

• Radiation (in radio engineering) is a flow of energy emanating from any source in the form of radio waves (as opposed to radiation - the process of emitting energy);


• Radiation - ionizing radiation;


• Radiation - thermal radiation;


• Radiation is synonymous with radiation;


• Adaptive radiation (in biology) is a phenomenon of various adaptation of related groups of organisms to changes in environmental conditions, acting as one of the main causes of divergence;


• Solar radiation is the radiation of the Sun (electromagnetic and corpuscular nature)."

As we can see, the concept is quite "voluminous" and includes many sections.
Let's turn to morphological significance words (link): " ionizing radiation, a stream of microparticles or a high-frequency electromagnetic field capable of causing ionization".
As we can see, another mention of the electromagnetic field has been added!
Let's turn to the etymology of the word (link): " Comes from lat. radiation"shine, brilliance, radiance", from radiare"to radiate, to shine, to sparkle", further from radius"stick, spoke, beam, radius", further etymology is unclear"
As we have already seen, the cliches linking the word "radiation" with alpha, beta and gamma radiation are not entirely correct. They only use one of the values.
In order to "speak the same language", it is necessary to lay down the basic concepts:
1. Let's use a simplified definition. "Radiation" is radiation. It must be remembered that radiation can be completely different (corpuscular or wave, thermal or ionizing, etc.) and occur according to different physical laws. In some cases, to simplify understanding, this word can be replaced by the word "impact".
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Now, let's talk about stamps.

As mentioned above, many have probably heard about alpha, beta and gamma radiation. What is it?
These are types of ionizing radiation.

"The reason for the radioactivity of a substance is the unstable nuclei that make up atoms, which, during decay, emit invisible radiation or particles into the environment. Depending on various properties (composition, penetrating power, energy), today there are many types of ionizing radiation, of which the most significant and common are:

• Alpha radiation. The source of radiation in it are particles with positive charge and relatively heavy. Alpha particles (2 protons + 2 neutrons) are quite bulky and therefore are easily retained by even minor obstacles: clothing, wallpaper, window curtains, etc. Even if alpha radiation hits a naked person, there is nothing to worry about, it will not pass beyond the surface layers of the skin. However, despite the low penetrating power, alpha radiation has a powerful ionization, which is especially dangerous if the source substances of alpha particles enter the human body directly, for example, into the lungs or digestive tract.


• Beta radiation. It is a stream of charged particles (positrons or electrons). Such radiation has a greater penetrating power than alpha particles; a wooden door can delay it, window glass, car body, etc. It is dangerous for humans when exposed to unprotected skin, as well as ingestion of radioactive substances.


• Gamma radiation and X-rays close to it. Another type of ionizing radiation, which is related to the light flux, but with a better ability to penetrate surrounding objects. By its nature, it is high-energy short-wave electromagnetic radiation. In order to block gamma rays individual cases a wall of several meters of lead, or several tens of meters of dense reinforced concrete, may be required. For humans, such radiation is the most dangerous. The main source of this type of radiation in nature is the Sun, however, the deadly rays do not reach humans due to the protective layer of the atmosphere.

Scheme of the generation of radiation of various types"

"There are several types of radiation:

• alpha particles- These are relatively heavy particles, positively charged, are helium nuclei.


• beta particles are ordinary electrons.


• Gamma radiation- has the same nature as visible light, but much greater penetrating power.


• Neutrons- These are electrically neutral particles that occur mainly near a working nuclear reactor, access there should be limited.


• X-rays are similar to gamma rays, but have lower energy. By the way, the Sun is one of the natural sources of such rays, but the Earth's atmosphere provides protection from solar radiation.

As we see in the figure above, radiation, it turns out, is not only of 3 types. These radiations are created (in most cases) by well-defined substances that have the property of spontaneously or after a certain impact (or a catalytic agent) to perform "spontaneous transformation" or "decay" with an accompanying type of radiation.
In addition to radiation from such elements, they also emit solar radiation .
Let's turn to "Wikipedia": " Solar radiation— electromagnetic and corpuscular radiation of the Sun.
Those. radiation of both particles and waves. We will leave the corpuscular-wave dualism of physics and attempts to "patch holes in it" for the next Nobel Prize to the corresponding academicians!
"Solar radiation is measured by its thermal action(calories per unit area per unit time) and intensity (watts per unit area). In general, the Earth receives from the Sun less than 0.5×10 −9 of its radiation.

The electromagnetic component of solar radiation propagates at the speed of light and penetrates into the earth's atmosphere. Before earth's surface Solar radiation comes in the form of direct and scattered rays. In total, the Earth receives from the Sun less than one two-billionth of its radiation. The spectral range of the solar electromagnetic radiation is very wide - from radio waves to x-rays- however, the maximum of its intensity falls on the visible (yellow-green) part of the spectrum.

There is also a corpuscular part of the solar radiation, consisting mainly of protons moving from the Sun at velocities of 300–1500 km/s (see Fig. sunny wind). During solar flares, high-energy particles (mainly protons and electrons) are also formed, which form the solar component of cosmic rays.

The energy contribution of the corpuscular component of solar radiation to its total intensity is small compared to the electromagnetic one. Therefore, in a number of applications, the term "solar radiation" is used in a narrow sense, meaning only its electromagnetic part.."
We skip the words about "use in the narrow sense" and remember that the "spectral range" ... from radio waves to X-rays!
In fact, in addition to the already mentioned substances capable of producing ionizing radiation, we will also take into account the contribution of our Sun to this process.
Let's see what is thermal radiation "...

"Thermal radiation is characterized by heat exchange using electromagnetic waves between bodies at a distance that determines thermal energy. Most of the radiation is in the infrared spectrum."
"HEAT RADIATION, thermal radiation - electromagnetic waves caused by thermal vibrations of molecules and turning into heat upon absorption."
“For example, during thermal radiation, solids emit electromagnetic waves with a continuous wavelength frequency R 4004 - 0 8 μm. Unlike solids, the radiation of gases is selective, discontinuous, consisting of separate bands with a small wavelength range."

As we can see, this is completely wave radiation, most of which is infrared. Let's remember very interesting feature"the emission of gases is selective, discontinuous, consisting of separate bands with a small range of wavelengths", it will come in handy a bit later.

In addition to the division of radiation into types of radiation "corpuscular" and "wave", they are divided into "alpha", "beta", "gamma", "X-ray", "infrared-", "ultraviolet-", "visible-" , "microwave-", "radio-" radiation. Now, do you understand the caveat above about using the word radiation in a general sense?
But this division is not enough. They also divide radiation into natural and artificial, while distorting the meaning of these words. I will not dwell in detail, but will give, from my point of view, a more correct classification.
What is "natural radiation"?

"Soil, water, atmosphere, some products and things, many space objects have natural radioactivity. The primary source of natural radiation in many cases is the radiation of the Sun and the decay energy of some elements of the earth's crust. Even man himself possesses natural radioactivity. In the body of each of us there are substances such as rubidium-87 and potassium-40, which create a personal radiation background."
By artificial radiation we will understand what the human hand has "touched". Those. the change in the "radiation background" occurred under the influence of a person (as a result of his actions).
"The source of radiation can be a building, building materials, household items, which include substances with unstable atomic nuclei."
This division contributes to the fact that the concept of "natural background radiation" is no longer applicable. The initially introduced concept only for masking a multitude of phenomena can no longer be taken into account. It is not possible to divide the radiation emanating in a particular place into "natural" and "artificial" ones. Therefore, we will reduce the concept of "natural radiation background" to the correct "radiation background". Why is it possible? The simplest example:
In some locality, before human impact on this locality (the same "spherical in vacuum"), the "natural radiation background" was 5 units. As a result of one person being there (and we remember that every person has a radioactive background), the device has already measured 6 units. What value of "natural radiation background" will be 5 or 6 units? Further... this man, on the soles of his shoes, brought a couple of dozen radioactive atoms to this area. As a result, the "natural radioactive background" became 6.5 units. The person needed to leave this place and the device already showed 5.5 units. "Natural radioactive background" will be 5.5 units. But we remember that before human intervention, the background was 5 units! In the situation under consideration, we were able to notice that the person by his actions increased the "background" by 0.5 units.
What is in reality? But in reality, "natural radioactive background" cannot be measured. Its value will change all the time and depend on many factors, which cannot be neglected. For example, consider solar radiation. Its value is very dependent on the time of year. Natural radioactivity also depends on the time of year and temperature. Therefore, only "radioactive background" can be measured. In some cases it is possible to isolate from the "radioactive background" something close to the "natural radioactive background".
Therefore, we will agree to use the term "radioactive background" instead of "natural level of radiation" or "natural radioactive background". We will consider under this term the amount of radiation that was measured in a given area.
What is "artificial radiation"?
As mentioned above, we will use this term to refer to the radioactive background from the actions that a person has performed.
Sources of radiation.
We will not separate sources by types of radiation. Let's try to list the main and frequently encountered ...

"Currently, 23 long-lived radioactive elements with half-lives of 10 7 years or more have been preserved on Earth."

"Radioactive decay chains (radioactive series), whose ancestors are radionuclides, have significant stability and a long half-life, they are called radioactive families. There are 4 radioactive families:

The ancestor of the 1st is uranium,
2nd - thorium,
3rd - actinium (actinouran),
4th - neptunium. "

"The main radioactive isotopes found in rocks Earth is potassium-40, rubidium-87 and members of two radioactive families, originating respectively from uranium-238 and thorium-232 - long-lived isotopes that have been part of the Earth since its very birth. The value of the radioactive isotope potassium-40 is especially great for the inhabitants of the soil - microflora, plant roots, soil fauna. Accordingly, its participation in the internal irradiation of the body, its organs and tissues is noticeable, since potassium is an indispensable element involved in a number of metabolic processes.
The levels of terrestrial radiation are not the same, since they depend on the concentration of radioactive isotopes in a particular area of ​​the earth's crust."..."Most of the input is associated with radionuclides of the uranium and thorium series, which are contained in the soil. It should be borne in mind that before entering the human body, radioactive substances pass through complex routes in the environment."

"Included in the radioactive series 238 U, 235 U and 232 Th. Radon nuclei constantly arise in nature during the radioactive decay of parent nuclei. The equilibrium content in the earth's crust is 7·10 −16% by weight. Due to its chemical inertness, radon relatively easily leaves the crystal lattice of the "parent" mineral and enters The groundwater, natural gases and air. Since the most long-lived of the four natural isotopes of radon is 222 Rn, it is its content in these media that is maximum.
The concentration of radon in the air depends, first of all, on the geological situation (for example, granites, in which there is a lot of uranium, are active sources of radon, while there is little radon over the surface of the seas), as well as on the weather (during rain, microcracks, which radon comes from the soil, are filled with water; snow cover also prevents radon from entering the air). Before earthquakes an increase in the concentration of radon in the air was observed, probably due to a more active exchange of air in the soil due to an increase in microseismic activity."

"Coal contains an insignificant amount of natural radionuclides, which, after its combustion, concentrate in fly ash and enter the environment with emissions, despite the improvement of purification systems"
"Some countries exploit underground steam and hot water for power generation and heat supply. This results in a significant release of radon into the environment."

"Several tens of million tons of phosphates are used annually as fertilizers. Most of the phosphate deposits currently being developed contain uranium, which is present in fairly high concentrations. Radioisotopes contained in fertilizers penetrate from the soil into food products, leading to an increase in the radioactivity of milk and other food products."

"Cosmic radiation consists of particles captured by the Earth's magnetic field, galactic cosmic radiation and corpuscular radiation from the Sun. It consists mainly of electrons, protons and alpha particles.
"The entire surface of the Earth is exposed to cosmic external radiation. However, this radiation is uneven. The intensity of cosmic radiation depends on solar activity, geographical location object and increases with height above sea level. It is most intense at the North and South Poles, less intense in the equatorial regions. The reason for this is the Earth's magnetic field, which deflects charged particles of cosmic radiation. The greatest effect of cosmic external irradiation is associated with the dependence of cosmic radiation on altitude (Fig. 4).
Solar flares pose a great radiation hazard during space flights. Cosmic rays coming from the Sun mainly consist of protons of a wide energy spectrum (proton energy up to 100 MzV). Charged particles from the Sun can reach the Earth 15-20 minutes after the flash on its surface becomes visible. The duration of the outbreak can reach several hours.

Fig.4. The amount of solar radiation during the maximum and minimum activity of the solar cycle, depending on the height of the area above sea level and geographic latitude."
Interesting pictures:

Radiation is associated by many with inevitable diseases that are difficult to treat. And this is partly true. The most terrible and deadly weapon is called nuclear. Therefore, not without reason, radiation is considered one of the biggest disasters on earth. What is radiation and what are its effects? Let's consider these questions in this article.

Radioactivity is the nuclei of some atoms, which are unstable. As a result of this property, the nucleus decays, which is caused by ionizing radiation. This radiation is called radiation. She has great energy. is to change the composition of cells.

There are several types of radiation, depending on the level of its effect on

The last two types are neutrons and We meet this type of radiation in Everyday life. It is the safest for the human body.

Therefore, speaking about what radiation is, it is necessary to take into account the level of its radiation and the harm caused to living organisms.

Radioactive particles have a huge energy power. They penetrate the body and collide with its molecules and atoms. As a result of this process, they are destroyed. A feature of the human body is that it mostly consists of water. Therefore, the molecules of this particular substance are exposed to radioactive particles. As a result, there are compounds that are very harmful to the human body. They become part of everyone chemical processes occurring in a living organism. All this leads to the destruction and destruction of cells.

Knowing what radiation is, you also need to know what harm it does to the body.

Human exposure to radiation falls into three main categories.

The main harm is done to the genetic background. That is, as a result of infection, a change and destruction of germ cells and their structure occurs. This is reflected in the offspring. A lot of children are born with deviations and deformities. This mainly happens in those areas that are prone to radiation contamination, that is, they are located next to other enterprises of this level.

The second type of disease caused by exposure to radiation is hereditary diseases at the genetic level, which appear after a while.

The third type is immune diseases. The body under the influence of radioactive radiation becomes susceptible to viruses and diseases. That is, immunity is reduced.

The salvation from radiation is distance. The permissible level of radiation for a person is 20 microroentgens. In this case, it does not affect the human body.

Knowing what radiation is, you can, to a certain extent, protect yourself from its effects.