Radiation Awareness Training

Mr. Haase

Princeton University Radiation Open Source Radiation Basics

Who discovered radioactivity?

• Henri Becquerel– discovered uranium in 1896

• Marie and Pierre Curie– Discovered polonium and radium

Beware of radioactive isotopes

• Isotopes – nuclei that have the same number of protons but different number of neutrons

*For example*• Isotopes of Hydrogen:

Hydrogen Deuteriuim Tritium

Natural Background Radiation

Sources: Radiation from Earth Cosmic Radiation Radioactivity in the body

Radiation from Earth

Naturally occurring isotopes like uranium produce RADON (a product of nuclear decay)

-Radon makes up about 55% of all background radiation (found in rocks and soil)

Cosmic Radiation

• Mostly blocked byEarth’s atmosphere

-about 8% of backgroundradiation

Radioactivity in the Body• Exposure from food we eat,water we drink, and air we breathe.

Isotopes include:-tritium (H-3) -carbon-14 (C-14)-potassium-40 (K-40)

-about 11% of backgroundradiation

Radiation from Cell Phone Usage

Studies currently taking place. NTP and FDA

Radiation Intensity

In summary…

Health Risks

• Cancer• Infertility• Skin Irritation• Radiation can cause mutations or changes in DNA• The mutations can be teratogenic or genetic.

Teratogenic mutations are caused by exposure of the fetus in the uterus and affect only the individual who was exposed. Genetic mutations are passed on to offspring.