irradiation and contamination

What is irradiation

When people or objects are exposed to ionising/ nuclear radiation(alpha, beta, gamma)

What happens to objects near a radioactive source

They are irradiated by it, but they don’t become radioactive because the object only comes in contact with radiation and not the radioactive isotope itself

How do you reduce the risk of irradiation

• keep safe distance - further away from source the lower the exposure

• Use remote handling tools to handle source

• Use shielding-place barriers , lead aprons , wall- for gamma (lead) -glass/plastic beta

• Limit exposure- spend as little time near source as possible

• Can reduce risk of exposure using a radiation monitor to show how much radiation someone is recieving

What is radioactive contamination and why is this hazardous

When unwanted radioactive isotopes end up on other materials. This is hazardous because the radioactive atoms decay and emit ionising radiation

Why can alpha radiation be quite dangerous and compare to other radiation for hazard inside body

Alpha radiation is strongly ionising but easily stopped by dead cells on skin surface. Alpha emitters can be dangerous if inhaled or swallowed

Beta radiation is less ionising but can penetrate skin into the body

Gamma radiation is weakly ionising and can penetrate body but is likely to pass straight through making gamma radiation less hazardous then beta and alpha inside body