Radiation Awareness
Training
Elayna Mellas
Radiation Safety Officer
Environmental Health & Safety Manager
Clarkson University
Downtown Snell 155
Tel: 315-268-6640
[email protected]
This training course has been partially adapted
from slides provided by Steve Backurz, Radiation
Safety Officer of The University of New Hampshire
Overview
What is radiation / radioactivity?
What makes radiation harmful?
Radiation dose - how much is too much?
Background radiation – your exposure can
never be zero
How are you protected at Clarkson?
Emergencies
Ordering and receiving radioactive material
at Clarkson
Questions?
Where Does
Radioactivity Come From?
Allmatter is made up of atoms
Atoms are the smallest component of
an element, comprised of three
particles
Protons
Neutrons
Electrons
Protons and neutrons
are in the central nucleus
Electrons orbit the nucleus
What is Radioactivity?
Definition:
a collection of unstable atoms that
undergo spontaneous transformation that result in
new elements.
An atom with an unstable nucleus will “decay” until
it becomes a stable atom, emitting radiation as it
decays
The“amount” of radioactivity (called activity) is
given by the number of nuclear decays that occur
per unit time (decays per minute).
The Curie
A unit of activity defined by the number of
radioactive decays from a gram of radium
1 Curie (Ci) = 2.22 E12 disintegrations/min (dpm)
Sub-multiples of the Curie: millicurie 1 mCi = 2.22
E9 dpm
microcurie 1 uCi = 2.22 E6 dpm
International units: 1 bequerel = 1 disintegration /
sec
Typical activities used at Clarkson University
are in the Ci to mCi range
Radiation
Definition: energy in the form of particles or
waves
Types of radiation
Ionizing: removes electrons from atoms
Particulate (alphas and betas)
Waves (gamma and X-rays)
Non-ionizing (electromagnetic): can't remove
electrons from atoms
infrared, visible, microwaves, radar, radio
waves, lasers
Electromagnetic Spectrum
Radiation wavelength in angstrom units
8 6 4 2 -2 -4 -6
10 10 10 10 1 10 10 10
Radio Infrared V Ultra-Violet X-Rays Cosmic Rays
i Light
s
i
b
l
e Gamma Rays
-10 -8 -6 -4 -2 2 4
10 10 10 10 10 1 10 10
Photon energy in million electron volts (MeV)
Ionization
Formation of a charged and reactive atom
- Ejected electron
Beta particle
- - -
Colliding
coulombic fields
The neutral absorber atom
acquires a positive charge -
Why is Radiation Harmful?
Radiation deposits small amounts of energy,
or "heat" in matter
Altersatoms
Damage to cells & DNA causes mutations
and cancer
Similar effects may occur from chemicals
Much of the resulting damage is from the
production of ions
Radiation Dose
Human dose is measured in rem or millirem
1000 mrem = 1 rem
1 rem poses the same risk for any type of
ionizing radiation
internal or external
alpha, beta, gamma, x-ray, or neutron
External radiation exposure measured by
dosimetry
Internal radiation exposure measured using
bioassay sample analysis
Acute Exposure
Large doses received in a short time period
accidents
nuclear war
cancer therapy
Short term effects (acute radiation syndrome
150 to 350 rad whole body)
Anorexia Nausea
Fatigue Vomiting
Epilation Diarrhea
Hemorrhage Mortality
Acute Effects of Whole Body
Exposure on Man
Absorbed
dose (Rads) Effect
10,000 Death in a few hours
1,200 Death within days
600 Death within weeks
450 LD 50/30
100 Probable recovery
50 No observable effect
25 Blood changes definite
5 1st blood change obs
Chronic Exposure
Doses received over long periods
Background radiation exposure
Occupational radiation exposure
50 rem acute vs 50 rem chronic
acute: no time for cell repair
chronic: time for cell repair
Average US will receive 20 - 30 rems lifetime
Long term effects
Increased risk of cancer, genetic defects
0.07% per rem lifetime exposure
Normal risk: 25% (cancer incidence)
Background Radiation
Your exposure to radiation can never be zero because
background radiation is always present
Natural sources – radon gas
Cosmic rays
Terrestrial (uranium-235)
Healing arts: diagnostic X-rays, radiopharmaceuticals
Nuclear weapons tests fallout
Research with radioisotopes
Consumer products
Miscellaneous: air travel, transportation of radioactive
material
Annual Dose from
Background Radiation
Total exposure Man-made sources
Medical X-Rays
Radon 55.0% 11
Other 1%
Internal 11%
Man-Made 18% Consumer
Nuclear Products 3%
Cosmic 8% Terrestrial 6% Medicine 4%
Total US average dose equivalent = 360 mrem/year
Consumer Products
Tobacco (Po-210)
Smoke detectors (Am-241)
Welding rods (Th-222)
Television (low levels of X-rays)
watches & other luminescent products
(tritium or radium)
Gas lantern mantles
Fiesta ware (Ur-235)
Jewelry
Smoke Detectors
Alpha particles from americium-241 (red lines) ionize the air
molecules (pink and blue spheres). The ions carry a small
current between two electrodes. Smoke particles (brown
spheres) attach to ions reducing current and initiate alarm.
Fiesta Ware
Glazed with dye containing uranium
Luminous Watches
Hands and dials contain H-3 or radium that glows in the dark
Nuclear Medicine
X-rays and fluoroscopes are
used to look inside the body
Radioactive Material at Clarkson
Activities are licensed by the State of New York
Radiation Safety Committee has responsibility to
review, approve, and oversee activities
Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) runs program
Clarkson is required to:
Train individuals that use sources of radiation
Train non-radiation workers that work in the
vicinity of radiation sources
Monitor and control radiation exposures
Maintain signs, labels, postings
Manage and properly dispose of radioactive
waste
Research at Clarkson
Using Radiation Sources
Radioactive materials (both open and
sealed sources such as S-35, P-32, C-14, H-
3, Ra-226, Am-241)
Gas chromatographs (sealed sources)
Liquid scintillation counters (sealed
sources for internal standards)
X-ray diffraction equipment
Electron microscopes
Standards for Protection
Against Radiation
Occupational limits
5,000 mrem / year TEDE
50,000 mrem / year CDE (any single organ)
15,000 mrem / year lens of the eye
Members of public
100 mrem / year
No more than 2 mrem in any one hour in
unrestricted areas from external sources
Declared pregnant females (occupational)
500 mrem / term (evenly distributed)
Anticipated Exposures
Nonradioactive workers must receive less than
100 mrems / year
Average annual background exposure for U.S.
population = 360 mrem / year
State
and federal exposure limits for radiation
workers = 5000 mrem / year
Anticipatedexposures: Less than the minimum
detectable dose for film badges (likely less than
10 mrem / month) - essentially zero
Access Restriction
Required by license and NY regulations
Security and control of radioactive material
Unrestricted area
Controlled area
Unrestricted area Restricted Unrestricted area
area
Posting of Radiation Areas
All radiation areas are posted
with warning signs
Use caution when entering and
working in a radiation area
If any container is labeled
“radioactive” do not disturb
If you have questions or concerns call:
Craig Woodworth, radiation safety officer, 268-
2391, Room 147 Science Center
Emergency Response
Fire
in radioactive areas:
Notify Fire Department and RSO, clear the
area of people. Remove any seriously
wounded persons. Keep your distance
NotifyRSO if you suspect:
Inhalation, ingestion or other intake of
radioactive material
Accidental release of radioactive material
into the environment
Radiation Protection Basics
Time:minimize the time that you are in contact
with radioactive material to reduce exposure
Distance:keep your distance. If you double the
distance the exposure rate drops by factor of 4
Shielding:
Lead, water, or concrete for gamma & X-ray
Thick plastic (lucite) for betas
Protectiveclothing: protects against
contamination only - keeps radioactive material
off skin and clothes
Radiation Exposure Will Not
Make You Radioactive
Radiation: energy in the form of particles and
waves
Radioactive material: material that is unstable
and emits radiation
Contamination: radioactive material where it is
not wanted
Campfire example: burning logs (radioactive
material), heat (radiation), burning embers that
escape the controlled area (contamination)
Shipping Radioactive Materials
Since the atomic energy industry began over 50
years ago, there has been an excellent record of
safety in transportation of nuclear material
Over 4 million packages containing radioactive
material are transported annually within the US
To date, there have been no deaths or serious
injuries
Ordering & Receipt
of Radioactive Materials
Only the RSO is authorized to order radioactive
material at Clarkson
When packages are received, call the RSO. He
will check for contamination, and deliver to the
package to the lab on the same day as receipt
All packages containing radioactive materials
must be secured to prevent theft or loss
If any package is damaged, do not handle. Call
the RSO immediately and ask the carrier to stay
to be checked for contamination
Labels on Packages
of Radioactive Material
Radioactive white I; almost no
radiation (0.5 mR/hr or 0.005
mSv/hr) maximum on the surface
Radioactive yellow II; low
radiation levels (50 mR/hr or 0.05
mSv/hr) maximum at 1 meter
Labels on Packages
of Radioactive Material
Radioactive yellow III; higher
radiation levels (200 mR/hr or 2
mSv/hr) maximum on surface. 10
mR/hr or .1 mSv/hr maximum at 1
meter.
The transport index is the
maximum radiation level (mR/hr) at
1 meter from the surface of an
undamaged package.
Your Role
in Radiation Protection
Don’t touch or move anything with radioactive
material labels.
Report anything that looks out of the ordinary
If you are uncertain about what to do, where to
go, requirements, or exposures:
Call the people on the emergency number list
Call the Radiation Safety Officer (RSO)
Elayna Mellas
268-6640
Call 911
Acknowledgements
This training course has been partially adapted
from slides provided by Steve Backurz,
Radiation Safety Officer of The University of New
Hampshire.
