Louisiana State University Radiation Safety Office Module 1 Radiation Safety At LSU 1

David Banner Incredible Hulk Became the incredible hulk after being exposed to gamma radiation 2

Peter Parker Spider Man He became the Spider Man after being bitten by a radioactive spider. 3

Chernobyl (for more information click here)click here Mushroom Cloud 4 The Reality of Radioactivity

Our Radioactive Environment 5

Natural Sources Cosmic Terrestrial Internal Inhaled 6

Cosmic Radiation High energy particles and photons from the sun and other sources outside the earth's atmosphere –Our atmosphere provides shielding from cosmic radiation –An increase in altitude results in an increase in exposure Sea Level: 26 mrem/yr Denver, CO: 50 mrem/yr 7 This picture of the Sun was taken on January 24, The image shows the Sun at x-ray wavelengths. It was recorded by the Soft X-ray Telescope on board the Yohkoh satellite.

Terrestrial Radiation Radiation from radioactive materials occurring naturally in the earth’s crust Highest on eastern slopes of the Rockies Lowest on the Atlantic coast 8

Inhaled Radiation Primarily from Radon ( 222 Rn) and its daughters – 222 Rn is released from the soil as Radium-226 ( 226 Ra) and then it decays to Radon Radium is part of the Uranium-238 ( 238 U) decay chain –Levels vary widely from area to area Average dose is 200 mrem/yr –Dose may be enhanced by poor ventilation or the use of Uranium-containing building materials 9

Internal Radiation Radiation from radioactive materials incorporated in the human body Carbon-14 ( 14 C) Potassium-40 ( 40 K) Total dose of 39 mrem/yr (due mostly to 40 K) 10

Man-Made Sources Medical Uses Consumers Products Industrial Uses Nuclear Power 11 Cerenkov Glow : gamma rays through water

Medical Sources Diagnostic X-ray 39 mrem/yr – U.S. average –General Radiography –Dental Radiography –Fluoroscopy –CT Radiation Therapy 2.3 mrem/yr – U.S. average –External beams –Sealed Sources implanted into body Nuclear Medicine 14 mrem/yr – U.S. average –Imaging using 131 I, 99m Tc, 201 Tl –Therapy using 131 I 12

Industrial Sources Industrial Radiography Use of X-rays or sealed gamma-ray sources for imaging of structures and components Level Gauges Use sealed sources to check the level of materials in a tank or vat. Well Logging Use of sealed sources to measure soil porosity, soil density, or underground structure and composition Static Elimination Use of radiation to remove static electricity 13

Nuclear Power Components of the Nuclear Power Industry Uranium Mines - source of natural uranium ( mrem/yr) Processing - ”purifying” natural uranium into efficient nuclear fuel (1-8 mrem/yr) Nuclear Power Plants - power production (< 1 mrem/yr) Waste Storage - spent nuclear fuel storage (< 1 mrem/yr) Transportation - to and from power plants (20 mrem/yr) (Doses are calculated for maximally exposed member of the general public) 14

Consumer Products Smoke Detectors ( 241 Am) Tobacco Products ( 210 Pb & 210 Po) Building Materials (Sheetrock; gypsum board) Airport Baggage Inspection (x-rays) Welding Rods (Thorium) Luminous Paints ( 3 H, 226 Ra, 147 Pm) Television (Low energy x-rays) Radium Hot Springs ( 226 Ra, 222 Rn) 15

Contributions to the Public Dose* 16 from NCRP 160, 2006