The dangers and uses of radiation - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

The dangers and uses of radiation

Jack

micallef

roadmap

RADIATION IN MEDICINE

INDUSTRIAL USES

SCIENTIFIC APPLICATIONS

DANGERS OF RADIATION

INTERESTING CASES

RADIATION USES IN MEDICINE

X-Rays

X Ray machines produce photons that are able to pass through objects made of light elements

6a

Human body [Carbon Z=6]

Heavier elements absorb the photons

Human Bones [Calcium Z=20]That ring you didn’t realize you ate [Gold Z=79]8aPhotoelectric absorption is the probability that a photon will be absorbed by an atom as it passes throughRoughly = Z(4-5)/Eγ3The penetration of the X-Ray beam depends on the material being X-rayed and the wavelength of the X-Ray beam.

6: Radiology Masterclass

8: NHS

RADIATION USES IN MEDICINE

X-Rays

The X – Ray Tube

Creates a small voltage (1) that increases the tube current (2). This fires electrons from the hot, negatively charged cathode (3) towards a target anode (usually made of tungsten) (4), emitting photons that are directed towards the patient by the X-Ray beam (5)

6a

An X ray machine fires an electron at high temperature at a positively charged anode, usually made of tungsten.

the the electron deflects due to the photoelectric effect and the energy is transferred from the electron and it emitted as a photon.The photon is then directed at a target and its absorption is measured.6aThe wavelength of the X-Ray beam can be adjusted for different strengths and penetration distances depending on the location and type of cancer.

6: Radiology Masterclass

RADIATION USES IN MEDICINE

X-Rays

Characteristic X-ray Generation

Bremsstrahlung-Braking X-Ray Generation

Electrons are fired at high speeds at a Tungsten atom

The binding force of the atom’s nucleus slows down the electrons and the energy lost is emitted as an X-Ray photon as the electrons are deflected away

9aMakes up about 80% of medical X-Ray radiation generation7a

An electron is fired into the inner orbital of a heavy atom, ejecting both the initial high energy electron and a low energy inner orbital electron which is replaced by an electron of a higher orbital.

The loss of energy by the electron is emitted as X-Rays

6a

6: Radiology Masterclass

9: Nuclear

Power.net

RADIATION USES IN MEDICINE

Radiation Therapy

7: American Cancer Society

9: Cancer Research UK

Internal

Radiotherapy9bRadiation is implanted into the body internallyPill, injection, or implant of a radioactive isotope depending on the type and severity of the cancer.

Internal radiotherapy usually comes with fewer side effects because the source of the radiation is more localized.

Common isotopes used are Iodine-131, Radium-223, and Stronium-89.

Brachytherapy: implant of a radioactive isotope into the body near cancerous cells.

Radioactive Liquid Treatment: Insertion of a radioactive isotope through injection, pill, liquid, or other means.

External Radiotherapy

7

b

Radiation is fired into cancerous cells from an external Linear Accelerator (LINAC)

Linear Accelerator: accelerates electrons to collide with a heavy metal, producing X-Ray radiation

External Radiotherapy usually uses photon radiation (X-Rays), but proton and electron particle radiation is also used for some treatments.

RADIATION USES IN MEDICINE

Radiation Therapy

Photon Radiation:

The most common form of radiation. Photon radiation uses X-rays generated by a Linear Accelerator (LINAC) that irradiate all the cells in the body they pass through.

6a

Electron Beams:

Electron beams are useful for surface level treatments. Their low energy levels don’t allow them to penetrate deep into the body.Proton Beams: Proton beams are used to treat internal cancers. They release their energy after traveling a certain distance, doing less damage to the body as they pass through.Neutron Beams: Neutron Beam Radiation has no charge similar to photons but is uncommon because it does more damage to normal DNA than photons do.Alpha and Beta Particles: Alpha and Beta particle radiation usually involves ingesting a radioactive isotope inside of a pill or in a drink.Carbon Ion Radiation: Called “Heavy Ion Radiation” because it uses heavier carbon atoms to fight stronger, more radioresistant cancers.7a

6: Radiology Masterclass

7: American Cancer Society

roadmap

RADIATION IN MEDICINE

INDUSTRIAL USES

PARTICLE ACCELERATORS

DANGERS OF RADIATION

INTERESTING CASES

Industrial radiation uses

Irradiation Treatment

No, your food is not radioactive.

Irradiation treatment is used to clean food, medical devices, and other sensitive objects. It can also be used to slow down fruits from ripening.

Gamma, X-Rays, UV, or electron beams can be used to kill microorganisms and foodborne diseases

3a

Low energy beams like X-Rays and Ultraviolet rays are commonly used because of their low energy wavelengths and because they pass through food without being absorbed.Safe for human consumption, but effective at killing microorganisms and diseases such as Salmonella and E.Coli.13a

3: Nuclear Regulatory Commission13: Consume Learning

Industrial radiation uses

Irradiation Treatment

Irradiation is used similarly to radiotherapy, firing particles into a target to disrupt its DNA replication.

In this case, much higher levels of radiation are used than are healthy for a person to absorb in order to kill all microorganisms.

3a

Because of their low energy, the particles are not ionized, so leave behind little to no residual radiation as they pass through

The simpler the object, the more radiation it can take.Irradiation treatment has fallen out of favor for many products:Gives milk a sour tastemore expensive than chlorine treatment for waterLoss of nutrients and vitamins in food up to 25%13a

3: Nuclear Regulatory Commission

13: Consume Learning

roadmap

RADIATION IN MEDICINE

INDUSTRIAL USES

PARTICLE ACCELERATORS

DANGERS OF RADIATION

INTERESTING CASES

Particle accelerators

Uses

Particle Accelerators are used to study the properties of subatomic particles.

Particles are released into a circular tube and accelerated using electromagnets that switch their charge to accelerate the charged particles to immense speeds.

4a

Once they reach the desired energy level, a metal target is introduced into the vacuum and the radiation and particles released from the collision can be measured and studied

Particle Accelerators like the Large Hadron Collider are used to study the cutting edge of physics: from quantum mechanics to dark matter

Large Hadron Collider

4: Department of Energy

Particle Accelerators

4a

4: Department of Energy

roadmap

RADIATION IN MEDICINE

INDUSTRIAL USES

PARTICLE ACCELERATORS

DANGERS OF RADIATION

INTERESTING CASES

R

adioactivity: refers to the amount of ionizing radioactive particles that a material releases and the rate at which the material decays. Radioactivity is measured in Curies (Ci). One Curie is equal to 3.7 x 10

10

decays per second.

E

xposure: describes the amount of radioactive material permeating the air. This is generally what Geiger counters read. Exposure is measured in Roentgen (R ) which is equal to coulombs/kilogram (C/kg).

Absorbed Dose: The amount of radiation absorbed by a person or object as it passes through them. Absorbed dose is measured in Rads (rad). 1 rad of absorption means that one gram of material absorbed 100 ergs of energy (1 erg = 10-7 Joules).3cDose Equivalent: Dose equivalent measures the effective dose that a person or object receives based on the absorbed dose and type of radiation. For some particles like Beta and Gamma particles, this is the same as the Absorbed Dose.3f Measured in Rem (J/kg)Dangers of radiationMeasuring RadiationR.E.A.D.3: Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Dangers of radiation

Effects on the Human Body

0.01 Rem (J/kg)

Typical dose from a chest X-Ray

Little to no negative effects

1 Rem

Typical dose from a CT ScanStill no negative effects50 RemLikely damage to blood cells

100 Rem

Lowest level radiation syndrome

Risk of cancer jumps to 27%

400 Rem

50% fatality rate

14a

Likely dose from a nuclear meltdown

14: CDC

Dangers of radiation

Radiation Poisoning

Acute Radiation Syndrome can have a wide range of effects on the human body and is caused by ionized particles interfering with the DNA of human cells.

1a

Symptoms depend on the absorbed dose, location on the body, type of radiation, among other factors like overall health.

Symptoms can range from a headache to instant burns and death in extreme cases.

1aNausea and vomitingHair lossLow blood pressureInternal bleedingDevelopment of cancer

1: Mayo Clinic

roadmap

RADIATION IN MEDICINE

INDUSTRIAL USES

PARTICLE ACCELERATORS

DANGERS OF RADIATION

INTERESTING CASES

Interesting Cases

The Demon Core

The “Demon Core” is a sphere made of plutonium and gallium developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico. In August 1945, it was prepared to be used as the core of a third atomic bomb to be dropped on Japan in World War II.

After the war, Los Alamos scientists ran criticality experiments on the core to test the amount of energy needed to bring it to critical mass. In these experiments bricks of tungsten reflect are used to reflect neutrons back at the core and edge it closer to critical mass.

15a

On August 21 1945,

physicst Harry Daghlian accidentally dropped one of the tungsten bricks onto the core, making it go supercritical and releasing a lethal dose of radiation that seared his hand. Within 25 days he slipped into a coma and died.Months later on May 21 1946, physicist Louis Slotin also received a lethal dose of radiation after he dropped a Beryllium dome on top of the core, reflecting the neutrons back into it and making it go critical.16a

15: Science Alert16: The New Yorker

Interesting cases

Anatoli

Bugorski

Anatoli

Bugorski

was a Soviet nuclear scientist working on the largest particle accelerator in the Soviet Union, the U-70

Synchotron in Protvino, Russia.11aOn July 13, 1978 he stuck his head inside of the particle accelerator, missing fail safes to warn him that it was active.He received a high energy proton beam directly to the headwith an energy of 7 x 1010 eV.Over the next few days, the path that the beam took beganto show in the form of burnt dead skin, muscle, and braintissue.12aBugorski survived and continued to teach Soviet nuclear physicists until the fall of the Soviet Union.

11a: Wired

Sources

Mayo Clinic

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/radiation-sickness/symptoms-causes/syc-20377058

The Jakarta Post

https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2021/04/09/japan-decides-to-release-fukushima-plant-water-into-sea.html

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

https://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/radiation/around-us/uses-radiation.htmlhttps://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/radiation/health-effects/measuring-radiation.html

https://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/radiation/health-effects/rad-exposure-cancer.html

https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/students/science-101/what-are-different-types-of-radiation.html

https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/rem-roentgen-equivalent-man.html

Energy.gov

https://www.energy.gov/articles/how-particle-accelerators-work

Radiopedia

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/anode-x-ray-tube?lang=us

Radiology Masterclass

https://www.radiologymasterclass.co.uk/tutorials/physics/x-ray_physics_production

American Cancer Society

https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/CRC/PDF/Public/6151.00.pdf

https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/radiation-therapy/external-beam

NHS

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/x-ray/

Nuclear

Power.net

https://www.nuclear-power.net/nuclear-power/reactor-physics/atomic-nuclear-physics/radiation/x-rays-roentgen-radiation/

Cancer Research UK

https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancer-in-general/treatment/radiotherapy/external/about?_gl=1*1ygw9hs*_ga*MTI4MjYwODcyNy4xNjIwMTg1MTMw*_ga_58736Z2GNN*MTYyMDE4NTEyOS4xLjAuMTYyMDE4NTEyOS42MA

https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancer-in-general/treatment/radiotherapy/internal/about

Wired- Anatoly

Bugorski

https://www.wired.com/1997/12/science-2/

FDA- Irradiation

https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/food-irradiation-what-you-need-know