What is radiation?
The term "radiation" comes from the Latin. radius is a ray, and in the broadest sense covers all kinds of radiation in general. Visible light and radio waves are also, strictly speaking, radiation, but it is customary to mean by radiation only ionizing radiation, that is, those whose interaction with matter leads to the formation of ions in it.
There are several types of ionizing radiation:
- alpha radiation - is a stream of helium nuclei
- beta radiation - a stream of electrons or positrons
- gamma radiation - electromagnetic radiation with a frequency of about 10 ^ 20 Hz.
- X-ray radiation - also electromagnetic radiation with a frequency of about 10 ^ 18 Hz.
- neutron radiation - neutron flux.

What is alpha radiation?
These are heavy positively charged particles, consisting of two protons and two neutrons, tightly bound together. In nature, alpha particles are produced by the decay of atoms of heavy elements such as uranium, radium, and thorium. In the air, alpha radiation travels no more than five centimeters and, as a rule, is completely blocked by a sheet of paper or the outer dead layer of the skin. However, if a substance that emits alpha particles enters the body with food or inhaled air, it irradiates the internal organs and becomes potentially dangerous.

What is beta radiation?
Electrons or positrons, which are much smaller than alpha particles and can penetrate several centimeters deep into the body. You can protect yourself from it with a thin sheet of metal, window glass and even ordinary clothing. Getting to unprotected areas of the body, beta radiation has an effect, as a rule, on the upper layers of the skin. If a substance that emits beta particles enters the body, it will irradiate internal tissues.

What is neutron radiation?
Flux of neutrons, neutrally charged particles. Neutron radiation is produced during the fission of an atomic nucleus and has a high penetrating power. Neutrons can be stopped by a thick concrete, water or paraffin barrier. Fortunately, in peaceful life nowhere, except in the immediate vicinity of nuclear reactors, neutron radiation practically does not exist.

What is gamma radiation?
An electromagnetic wave that carries energy. In the air, it can travel long distances, gradually losing energy as a result of collisions with the atoms of the medium. Intense gamma radiation, if not protected from it, can damage not only the skin, but also internal tissues.

What type of radiation is used in fluoroscopy?
X-ray radiation - electromagnetic radiation with a frequency of about 10 ^ 18 Hz.
It arises when electrons moving at high speeds interact with matter. When electrons collide with atoms of any substance, they quickly lose their kinetic energy. In this case, most of it is converted into heat, and a small fraction, usually less than 1%, is converted into X-ray energy.
In relation to X-ray and gamma radiation, the terms "hard" and "soft" are often used. This is a relative characteristic of its energy and the penetrating power of radiation associated with it: "hard" - greater energy and penetrating power, "soft" - less. X-rays are soft, gamma rays are hard.

Is there a place without radiation at all?
Hardly ever. Radiation is an ancient environmental factor. There are many natural sources of radiation: these are natural radionuclides contained in the earth's crust, building materials, air, food and water, as well as cosmic rays. On average, they determine more than 80% of the annual effective dose received by the population, mainly due to internal exposure.

What is radioactivity?
Radioactivity is the property of the atoms of an element to spontaneously transform into atoms of other elements. This process is accompanied by ionizing radiation, i.e. radiation.

How is radiation measured?
Given that "radiation" is not a measurable quantity in itself, there are different units for measuring different types of radiation, as well as pollution.
Separately, the concepts of absorbed, exposure, equivalent and effective dose, as well as the concept of equivalent dose rate and background are used.
In addition, for each radionuclide (radioactive isotope of an element), the activity of the radionuclide, the specific activity of the radionuclide, and the half-life are measured.

What is absorbed dose and how is it measured?
Dose, absorbed dose (from the Greek - share, portion) - determines the amount of ionizing radiation energy absorbed by the irradiated substance. Characterizes the physical effect of irradiation in any medium, including biological tissue, and is often calculated per unit mass of this substance.
It is measured in units of energy that is released in a substance (absorbed by a substance) when ionizing radiation passes through it.
Units of measurement are rad, gray.
Rad (rad is short for radiation absorbed dose) is a non-systemic unit of absorbed dose. Corresponds to the radiation energy of 100 erg absorbed by a substance weighing 1 gram
1 rad = 100 erg/g = 0.01 J/kg = 0.01 Gy = 2.388 x 10-6 cal/g
With an exposure dose of 1 roentgen, the absorbed dose in air will be 0.85 rad (85 erg/g).
Gray (Gr.) - a unit of absorbed dose in the SI system of units. Corresponds to the radiation energy of 1 J absorbed by 1 kg of matter.
1 Gr. \u003d 1 J / kg \u003d 104 erg / g \u003d 100 rad.

What is exposure dose and how is it measured?
The exposure dose is determined by the ionization of air, that is, by the total charge of ions formed in the air during the passage of ionizing radiation through it.
Units of measurement are roentgens, pendant per kilogram.
Roentgen (R) is an off-system unit of exposure dose. This is the amount of gamma or x-ray radiation, which in 1 cm3 of dry air (having under normal conditions a weight of 0.001293 g) forms 2.082 x 109 pairs of ions. When converted to 1 g of air, this will be 1.610 x 1012 pairs of ions or 85 erg / g of dry air. Thus, the physical energy equivalent of an X-ray is 85 erg/g for air.
1 C/kg - exposure dose unit in the SI system. This is the amount of gamma or X-ray radiation, which in 1 kg of dry air forms 6.24 x 1018 pairs of ions, which carry a charge of 1 pendant of each sign. The physical equivalent of 1 C/kg is 33 J/kg (for air).
The relationship between X-ray and C/kg is as follows:
1 P \u003d 2.58 x 10-4 C / kg - exactly.
1 C/kg = 3.88 x 103 R - approx.

What is equivalent dose and how is it measured?
The equivalent dose is equal to the absorbed dose calculated for a person, taking into account coefficients that take into account different abilities different types radiation damage body tissues.
For example, for X-ray, gamma, beta radiation, this coefficient (it is called the radiation quality factor) is 1, and for alpha radiation it is 20. That is, with the same absorbed dose, alpha radiation will cause 20 times more harm to the body than, for example, gamma rays.
Units rem and sievert.
Rem is the biological equivalent of a rad (formerly an x-ray). Non-systemic unit of equivalent dose. In general:
1 rem = 1 rad * K = 100 erg / g * K = 0.01 Gy * K = 0.01 J / kg * K = 0.01 Sievert,
where K is the radiation quality factor, see definition of equivalent dose
For x-ray, gamma, beta radiation, electrons and positrons, 1 rem corresponds to an absorbed dose of 1 rad.
1 rem = 1 rad = 100 erg/g = 0.01 Gy = 0.01 J/kg = 0.01 Sievert
Given that at an exposure dose of 1 roentgen, the air absorbs approximately 85 erg/g (the physical equivalent of an roentgen), and the biological tissue is approximately 94 erg/g (the biological equivalent of an roentgen), it can be considered with a minimum error that an exposure dose of 1 roentgen for a biological tissue corresponds to an absorbed dose of 1 rad and an equivalent dose of 1 rem (for X-ray, gamma, beta radiation, electrons and positrons), that is, roughly speaking, 1 roentgen, 1 rad and 1 rem are one and the same.
Sievert (Sv) is the SI unit of equivalent and effective equivalent doses. 1 Sv is equal to the equivalent dose at which the product of the absorbed dose in Gray (in biological tissue) and the coefficient K will be equal to 1 J/kg. In other words, this is such an absorbed dose at which energy of 1 J is released in 1 kg of a substance.
In general:
1 Sv = 1 Gy * K = 1 J/kg * K = 100 rad * K = 100 rem * K
At K=1 (for X-ray, gamma, beta radiation, electrons and positrons) 1 Sv corresponds to an absorbed dose of 1 Gy:
1 Sv \u003d 1 Gy \u003d 1 J / kg \u003d 100 rad \u003d 100 rem.

The effective equivalent dose is equal to the equivalent dose calculated taking into account the different sensitivity of various organs of the body to radiation. The effective dose takes into account not only that different types of radiation have different biological effectiveness, but also that some parts of the human body (organs, tissues) are more sensitive to radiation than others. For example, at the same equivalent dose, lung cancer is more likely to occur than thyroid cancer. Thus, the effective dose reflects the total effect of human exposure in terms of long-term effects.
To calculate the effective dose, the equivalent dose received by a specific organ or tissue is multiplied by the appropriate coefficient.
For the whole organism, this coefficient is equal to 1, and for some organs it has the following values:
bone marrow (red) - 0.12
thyroid gland - 0.05
lungs, stomach, large intestine - 0.12
gonads (ovaries, testes) - 0.20
skin - 0.01
To estimate the total effective equivalent dose received by a person, calculate and sum the indicated doses for all organs.
The unit of measurement is the same as that of the equivalent dose - "rem", "sievert"

What is dose equivalent rate and how is it measured?
The dose received per unit of time is called the dose rate. The higher the dose rate, the faster the radiation dose increases.
For SI equivalent dose, the unit of dose rate is sievert per second (Sv/s), the off-system unit is rem per second (rem/s). In practice, their derivatives are most often used (µSv/h, mrem/h, etc.)

What is background, natural background, and how is it measured?
Background is another name for the exposure dose rate of ionizing radiation in this place.
Natural background - the exposure dose rate of ionizing radiation in a given place, created only by natural sources of radiation.
The units of measurement are rem and sievert respectively.
Often, background and natural background are measured in roentgens (microroentgens, etc.), roughly equating roentgen and rem (see the question of equivalent dose).

What is the activity of a radionuclide and how is it measured?
The amount of radioactive material is measured not only in units of mass (grams, milligrams, etc.), but also by activity, which is equal to the number of nuclear transformations (decays) per unit of time. The more nuclear transformations the atoms of a given substance experience per second, the higher its activity and the greater the danger it can pose to humans.
The SI unit of activity is disintegration per second (disp/s). This unit is called the becquerel (Bq). 1 Bq equals 1 spread/s.
The most commonly used non-systemic unit of activity is curie (Ci). 1 Ki equals 3.7*10 in 10 Bq, which corresponds to the activity of 1 g of radium.

What is the specific surface activity of a radionuclide?
This is the activity of a radionuclide per unit area. It is usually used to characterize the radioactive contamination of a territory (density of radioactive contamination).
Units of measurement - Bq/m2, Bq/km2, Ci/m2, Ci/km2.

What is a half-life and how is it measured?
Half-life (T1 / 2, also denoted by the Greek letter "lambda", half-life) - the time during which half of the radioactive atoms decay and their number decreases by 2 times. The value is strictly constant for each radionuclide. The half-lives of all radionuclides are different - from fractions of a second (short-lived radionuclides) to billions of years (long-lived).
This does not mean that after a time equal to two T1/2, the radionuclide will decay completely. After T1 / 2, the radionuclide will become half as much, after 2 * T1 / 2 - four times, etc. Theoretically, a radionuclide will never completely decay.

Task (for warming up):

I'll tell you, my friends
How to grow mushrooms:
Need in the field early in the morning
Move two pieces of uranium...

Question: What must be the total mass of uranium pieces for a nuclear explosion to occur?

Answer(in order to see the answer - you need to highlight the text) : For uranium-235, the critical mass is approximately 500 kg. If we take a ball of such a mass, then the diameter of such a ball will be 17 cm.

Radiation, what is it?

Radiation (translated from English as "radiation") is radiation that is used not only for radioactivity, but also for a number of other physical phenomena, for example: solar radiation, thermal radiation, etc. Thus, with regard to radioactivity, it is necessary to use the accepted ICRP (International Commission on Radiation Protection) and radiation safety rules the phrase "ionizing radiation".

Ionizing radiation, what is it?

Ionizing radiation - radiation (electromagnetic, corpuscular), which causes ionization (the formation of ions of both signs) of a substance (environment). The probability and number of formed pairs of ions depends on the energy of ionizing radiation.

Radioactivity, what is it?

Radioactivity - radiation of excited nuclei or spontaneous transformation of unstable atomic nuclei into nuclei of other elements, accompanied by the emission of particles or γ-quantum (s). The transformation of ordinary neutral atoms into an excited state occurs under the influence of external energy of various kinds. Further, the excited nucleus seeks to remove excess energy by radiation (emission of alpha particles, electrons, protons, gamma quanta (photons), neutrons), until a stable state is reached. Many heavy nuclei (the transuranium series in the periodic table - thorium, uranium, neptunium, plutonium, etc.) are initially in an unstable state. They are able to spontaneously disintegrate. This process is also accompanied by radiation. Such nuclei are called natural radionuclides.

This animation clearly shows the phenomenon of radioactivity.

A cloud chamber (a plastic box cooled to -30°C) is filled with isopropyl alcohol vapor. Julien Simon placed a 0.3-cm³ piece of radioactive uranium (the mineral uraninite) in it. The mineral emits α-particles and beta-particles, since it contains U-235 and U-238. On the way of movement of α and beta particles are molecules of isopropyl alcohol.

Since the particles are charged (alpha is positive, beta is negative), they can take an electron from an alcohol molecule (alpha particle) or add electrons to alcohol molecules of beta particles). This, in turn, gives the molecules a charge, which then attracts uncharged molecules around them. When the molecules are gathered together, noticeable white clouds are obtained, which can be clearly seen in the animation. So we can easily trace the paths of the ejected particles.

α particles create straight, thick clouds, while beta particles create long ones.

Isotopes, what are they?

Isotopes are a variety of atoms of the same chemical element that have different mass numbers, but include the same electric charge of atomic nuclei and, therefore, occupy D.I. Mendeleev single place. For example: 131 55 Cs, 134 m 55 Cs, 134 55 Cs, 135 55 Cs, 136 55 Cs, 137 55 Cs. Those. charge largely determines the chemical properties of an element.

There are stable (stable) isotopes and unstable (radioactive isotopes) - spontaneously decaying. About 250 stable and about 50 natural radioactive isotopes are known. An example of a stable isotope is 206 Pb, which is the end product of the decay of the natural radionuclide 238 U, which, in turn, appeared on our Earth at the beginning of the formation of the mantle and is not associated with technogenic pollution.

What types of ionizing radiation exist?

The main types of ionizing radiation that are most often encountered are:

• alpha radiation;
• beta radiation;
• gamma radiation;
• x-ray radiation.

Of course, there are other types of radiation (neutron, positron, etc.), but we meet them in Everyday life noticeably less often. Each type of radiation has its own nuclear-physical characteristics and, as a result, different biological effects on the human body. Radioactive decay can be accompanied by one of the types of radiation or several at once.

Sources of radioactivity can be natural or artificial. Natural sources of ionizing radiation are radioactive elements located in the earth's crust and forming a natural radiation background together with cosmic radiation.

Artificial sources of radioactivity, as a rule, are formed in nuclear reactors or accelerators based on nuclear reactions. Various electrovacuum physical devices, charged particle accelerators, etc. can also be sources of artificial ionizing radiation. For example: a TV kinescope, an X-ray tube, a kenotron, etc.

Alpha radiation (α-radiation) - corpuscular ionizing radiation, consisting of alpha particles (helium nuclei). Formed during radioactive decay and nuclear transformations. Helium nuclei have a sufficiently large mass and energy up to 10 MeV (Megaelectron-Volt). 1 eV = 1.6∙10 -19 J. Having an insignificant mileage in the air (up to 50 cm), they pose a high danger to biological tissues if they get on the skin, mucous membranes of the eyes and respiratory tract, if they get inside the body in the form of dust or gas ( radon-220 and 222). The toxicity of alpha radiation is due to the enormously high density of ionization due to the high energy and mass.

Beta radiation (β radiation) - corpuscular electronic or positron ionizing radiation of the corresponding sign with a continuous energy spectrum. It is characterized by the maximum energy of the spectrum E β max , or the average energy of the spectrum. The range of electrons (beta particles) in the air reaches several meters (depending on the energy), in biological tissues the range of a beta particle is several centimeters. Beta radiation, like alpha radiation, is dangerous when exposed to contact (surface contamination), for example, when it enters the body, on mucous membranes and skin.

Gamma radiation (γ - radiation or gamma quanta) - short-wave electromagnetic (photon) radiation with a wavelength

X-ray radiation - in its own way physical properties similar to gamma radiation, but with a number of features. It appears in an X-ray tube due to a sharp stop of electrons on a ceramic target-anode (the place where electrons hit is usually made of copper or molybdenum) after acceleration in the tube (continuous spectrum - bremsstrahlung) and when electrons are knocked out of internal electronic shells of the target atom (line spectrum). The X-ray energy is low - from fractions of a few eV to 250 keV. X-ray radiation can be obtained using charged particle accelerators - synchrotron radiation with a continuous spectrum with an upper limit.

Passage of radiation and ionizing radiation through obstacles:

The sensitivity of the human body to the effects of radiation and ionizing radiation on it:

What is a radiation source?

Source of ionizing radiation (RSR) - an object that includes a radioactive substance or a technical device that creates or in certain cases is capable of creating ionizing radiation. Distinguish between closed and open sources of radiation.

What are radionuclides?

Radionuclides are nuclei subject to spontaneous radioactive decay.

What is a half-life?

Half-life is the period of time during which the number of nuclei of a given radionuclide is reduced by half as a result of radioactive decay. This quantity is used in the law of radioactive decay.

What is the unit of measure for radioactivity?

The activity of a radionuclide, in accordance with the SI measurement system, is measured in Becquerels (Bq) - named after the French physicist who discovered radioactivity in 1896), Henri Becquerel. One Bq is equal to 1 nuclear conversion per second. The power of the radioactive source is measured in Bq/s, respectively. The ratio of the activity of a radionuclide in a sample to the mass of the sample is called the specific activity of the radionuclide and is measured in Bq/kg (l).

In what units is ionizing radiation measured (X-ray and gamma)?

What do we see on the display of modern dosimeters that measure AI? The ICRP has proposed to measure human exposure to dose at a depth d of 10 mm. The measured dose at this depth is called the ambient dose equivalent, measured in sieverts (Sv). In fact, this is a calculated value, where the absorbed dose is multiplied by a weighting coefficient for a given type of radiation and a coefficient that characterizes the sensitivity of various organs and tissues to a particular type of radiation.

Equivalent dose (or the often used concept of “dose”) is equal to the product of the absorbed dose and the quality factor of exposure to ionizing radiation (for example: the quality factor of exposure to gamma radiation is 1, and alpha radiation is 20).

The equivalent dose unit is rem (the biological equivalent of a roentgen) and its submultiple units: millirem (mrem) microrem (mcrem), etc., 1 rem = 0.01 J / kg. The unit of measurement of the equivalent dose in the SI system is sievert, Sv,

1 Sv = 1 J/kg = 100 rem.

1 mrem \u003d 1 * 10 -3 rem; 1 microrem \u003d 1 * 10 -6 rem;

Absorbed dose - the amount of energy of ionizing radiation that is absorbed in an elementary volume, related to the mass of matter in this volume.

The absorbed dose unit is rad, 1 rad = 0.01 J/kg.

The unit of absorbed dose in the SI system is gray, Gy, 1 Gy=100 rad=1 J/kg

The equivalent dose rate (or dose rate) is the ratio of the equivalent dose to the time interval of its measurement (exposure), the unit of measure is rem / hour, Sv / hour, μSv / s, etc.

What units are alpha and beta radiation measured in?

The amount of alpha and beta radiation is defined as the particle flux density per unit area, per unit time - a-particles*min/cm 2 , β-particles*min/cm 2 .

What is radioactive around us?

Almost everything that surrounds us, even the person himself. Natural radioactivity is, to some extent, the natural habitat of man, if it does not exceed natural levels. There are areas on the planet with an increased relative to the average level of background radiation. However, in most cases, no significant deviations in the state of health of the population are observed, since this territory is their natural habitat. An example of such a piece of territory is, for example, the state of Kerala in India.

For a true assessment, frightening figures sometimes appearing in print should be distinguished:

• natural, natural radioactivity;
• technogenic, i.e. change in the radioactivity of the environment under the influence of man (mining, emissions and discharges of industrial enterprises, emergency situations, and much more).

As a rule, it is almost impossible to eliminate elements of natural radioactivity. How can you get rid of 40 K, 226 Ra, 232 Th, 238 U, which are everywhere in the earth's crust and are found in almost everything that surrounds us, and even in ourselves?

Of all natural radionuclides, the decay products of natural uranium (U-238) - radium (Ra-226) and the radioactive gas radon (Ra-222) pose the greatest danger to human health. The main "suppliers" of radium-226 to the environment are enterprises engaged in the extraction and processing of various fossil materials: mining and processing of uranium ores; oil and gas; coal industry; production of building materials; energy industry enterprises, etc.

Radium-226 is highly susceptible to leaching from minerals containing uranium. This property explains the presence of large amounts of radium in some types of groundwater (some of them enriched with radon gas are used in medical practice), in mine waters. The range of radium content in groundwater varies from a few to tens of thousands of Bq/L. The content of radium in surface natural waters is much lower and can range from 0.001 to 1-2 Bq/L.

A significant component of natural radioactivity is the decay product of radium-226 - radon-222.

Radon is an inert, radioactive gas, colorless and odorless, with a half-life of 3.82 days. Alpha emitter. It is 7.5 times heavier than air, so it is mostly concentrated in cellars, basements, basement floors of buildings, mine workings, etc.

It is believed that up to 70% of the exposure of the population to radiation is due to radon in residential buildings.

The main sources of radon in residential buildings are (in order of increasing importance):

• tap water and household gas;
• building materials (crushed stone, granite, marble, clay, slag, etc.);
• soil under buildings.

For more information about radon and devices for measuring it: RADIOMETERS FOR RADON AND THORON.

Professional radon radiometers cost a lot of money, for domestic use - we recommend that you pay attention to a household radon and thoron radiometer made in Germany: Radon Scout Home.

What are "black sands" and what danger do they pose?

"Black sands" (color varies from light yellow to red-brown, brown, there are varieties of white, greenish and black) are a mineral monazite - anhydrous phosphate of elements of the thorium group, mainly cerium and lanthanum (Ce, La) PO 4 , which are replaced by thorium. Monazite contains up to 50-60% oxides of rare earth elements: yttrium oxides Y 2 O 3 up to 5%, thorium oxides ThO 2 up to 5-10%, sometimes up to 28%. It occurs in pegmatites, sometimes in granites and gneisses. During the destruction of rocks containing monazite, it is collected in placers, which are large deposits.

Placers of monazite sands existing on land, as a rule, do not make any special changes to the resulting radiation environment. But the monazite deposits located near the coastal strip of the Sea of ​​Azov (within the Donetsk region), in the Urals (Krasnoufimsk) and other regions create a number of problems associated with the possibility of exposure.

For example, due to the sea surf during the autumn-spring period on the coast, as a result of natural flotation, a significant amount of "black sand" is accumulated, characterized by a high content of thorium-232 (up to 15-20 thousand Bq / kg and more), which creates in local areas, the levels of gamma radiation are of the order of 3.0 or more μSv/h. Naturally, it is not safe to rest in such areas, therefore this sand is collected annually, warning signs are put up, and some parts of the coast are closed.

Means for measuring radiation and radioactivity.

To measure the levels of radiation and the content of radionuclides in different objects, special measuring instruments are used:

• to measure the exposure dose rate of gamma radiation, X-ray radiation, alpha and beta radiation flux density, neutrons, dosimeters and search dosimeters-radiometers of various types are used;
• To determine the type of radionuclide and its content in environmental objects, AI spectrometers are used, which consist of a radiation detector, an analyzer and a personal computer with an appropriate program for processing the radiation spectrum.

Currently, there are a large number of dosimeters of various types for solving various problems of radiation monitoring and having ample opportunities.

For example, dosimeters that are most often used in professional activities:

1. Dosimeter-radiometer MKS-AT1117M(search dosimeter-radiometer) - a professional radiometer is used to search for and identify sources of photon radiation. It has a digital indicator, the ability to set the threshold for the operation of an audible alarm, which greatly facilitates the work when examining territories, checking scrap metal, etc. The detection unit is remote. A NaI scintillation crystal is used as a detector. The dosimeter is a universal solution for various tasks; it is equipped with a dozen different detection units with different technical characteristics. Measuring blocks allow to measure alpha, beta, gamma, x-ray and neutron radiation.

   Information about detection units and their application:

Name of the detection unit	Measured radiation	Main feature (technical specification)	Application area
	DB for alpha radiation	Measurement range 3.4 10 -3 - 3.4 10 3 Bq cm -2	DB for measuring the flux density of alpha particles from the surface
	DB for beta radiation	Measuring range 1 - 5 10 5 parts / (min cm 2)	DB for measuring the flux density of beta particles from the surface
	DB for gamma radiation	Sensitivity 350 imp s -1 / µSv h -1 measurement range 0.03 - 300 µSv/h	The best option for price, quality, specifications. It is widely used in the field of gamma radiation measurement. A good search detection unit for finding radiation sources.
	DB for gamma radiation	Measuring range 0.05 µSv/h - 10 Sv/h	The detection unit has a very high upper threshold for measuring gamma radiation.
	DB for gamma radiation	Measurement range 1 mSv/h - 100 Sv/h Sensitivity 900 imp s -1 / µSv h -1	An expensive detection unit with a high measurement range and excellent sensitivity. Used to find radiation sources with strong radiation.
	DB for x-rays	Energy range 5 - 160 keV	Detection unit for x-rays. It is widely used in medicine and installations operating with the release of X-rays of low energy.
	DB for neutron radiation	measurement range 0.1 - 10 4 neutron/(s cm 2) Sensitivity 1.5 (imp s -1)/(neutron s -1 cm -2)
	DB for alpha, beta, gamma and x-rays	Sensitivity 6.6 imp s -1 / µSv h -1	Universal detection unit that allows you to measure alpha, beta, gamma and X-rays. It has low cost and poor sensitivity. Has found wide reconciliation in the field of workplace certification (AWP), where it is mainly required to measure a local object.

2. Dosimeter-radiometer DKS-96– designed to measure gamma and x-ray radiation, alpha radiation, beta radiation, neutron radiation.

In many respects it is similar to a dosimeter-radiometer.

• measurement of dose and ambient dose equivalent rate (hereinafter dose and dose rate) H*(10) and H*(10) of continuous and pulsed X-ray and gamma radiation;
• measurement of alpha and beta radiation flux density;
• measuring the dose H*(10) of neutron radiation and the dose rate H*(10) of neutron radiation;
• gamma radiation flux density measurement;
• search, as well as localization of radioactive sources and sources of pollution;
• measurement of flux density and exposure dose rate of gamma radiation in liquid media;
• radiation analysis of the area, taking into account geographical coordinates, using GPS;

The two-channel scintillation beta-gamma spectrometer is designed for simultaneous and separate determination of:

• specific activity of 137 Cs, 40 K and 90 Sr in samples of various environments;
• specific effective activity of natural radionuclides 40 K, 226 Ra, 232 Th in building materials.

Allows for express analysis of standardized samples of metal melts for the presence of radiation and contamination.

9. Gamma spectrometer based on an HPGe detector Spectrometers based on coaxial detectors made of HPG (high purity germanium) are designed to detect gamma radiation in the energy range from 40 keV to 3 MeV.

Spectrometer beta and gamma radiation MKS-AT1315



Lead-shielded spectrometer NaI PAK



Portable NaI spectrometer MKS-AT6101





Wearable HPG spectrometer Eco PAK



Portable HPG spectrometer Eco PAK



Spectrometer NaI PAK automotive version



Spectrometer MKS-AT6102



Eco PAK spectrometer with electric machine cooling



Manual PPD spectrometer Eco PAK

See other measuring instruments for measuring ionizing radiation, you can on our website:

• when conducting dosimetric measurements, if they are meant to be carried out frequently in order to monitor the radiation situation, it is necessary to strictly observe the geometry and measurement technique;
• to increase the reliability of dosimetric monitoring, it is necessary to carry out several measurements (but not less than 3), then calculate the arithmetic mean;
• when measuring the background of the dosimeter on the ground, select areas that are 40 m away from buildings and structures;
• measurements on the ground are carried out at two levels: at a height of 0.1 (search) and 1.0 m (measurement for the protocol - while rotating the sensor in order to determine the maximum value on the display) from the ground surface;
• when measuring in residential and public premises, measurements are taken at a height of 1.0 m from the floor, preferably at five points using the “envelope” method. At first glance, it is difficult to understand what is happening in the photo. A giant mushroom seems to have grown from under the floor, and ghostly people in helmets seem to be working next to it...

  At first glance, it is difficult to understand what is happening in the photo. A giant mushroom seems to have grown from under the floor, and ghostly people in helmets seem to be working next to it...

  There is something inexplicably creepy about this scene, and for good reason. You're seeing the largest accumulation of probably the most toxic substance ever created by man. This is nuclear lava or corium.

  In the days and weeks after the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant on April 26, 1986, simply walking into a room with the same pile of radioactive material - grimly nicknamed "elephant's foot" - meant certain death in a few minutes. Even a decade later, when this photograph was taken, probably due to radiation, the film behaved strangely, which manifested itself in a characteristic grainy structure. The man in the photo, Arthur Korneev, most likely visited this room more often than anyone else, so he was exposed to, perhaps, the maximum dose of radiation.

  Surprisingly, in all likelihood, he is still alive. The story of how the U.S. got into possession of a unique photograph of a man in the presence of incredibly toxic material is itself shrouded in mystery - as well as the reasons why someone needed to take a selfie next to a hump of molten radioactive lava.

  The photograph first came to America in the late 90s, when the new government of newly independent Ukraine took control of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and opened the Chernobyl Center for Nuclear Safety, Radioactive Waste and Radioecology. Soon the Chernobyl Center invited other countries to cooperate in nuclear safety projects. The US Department of Energy ordered assistance by sending an order to the Pacific Northwest National Laboratories (PNNL) - a crowded research center in Richland, pc. Washington.

  At the time, Tim Ledbetter was one of the newcomers to PNNL's IT department and was tasked with building a digital photo library for the Department of Energy's Nuclear Security Project, that is, to show photos to the American public (or rather, to that tiny part of the public which then had access to the Internet). He asked the project participants to take photos during trips to Ukraine, hired a freelance photographer, and also asked Ukrainian colleagues at the Chernobyl center for materials. Among the hundreds of photographs of clumsy handshakes of officials and people in lab coats, however, there are about a dozen pictures of the ruins inside the fourth power unit, where a decade earlier, on April 26, 1986, an explosion occurred during a test of a turbogenerator.

  As radioactive smoke rose from the village, poisoning the surrounding land, the rods liquefied from below, melting through the walls of the reactor to form a substance called corium.

  When radioactive smoke rose above the village, poisoning the surrounding land, the rods liquefied from below, melting through the walls of the reactor and forming a substance called corium .

  Corium has been formed outside of research labs at least five times, says Mitchell Farmer, lead nuclear engineer at Argonne National Laboratory, another US Department of Energy facility near Chicago. Corium formed once at the Three Mile Island reactor in Pennsylvania in 1979, once at Chernobyl, and three times at the Fukushima reactor meltdown in 2011. In his lab, Farmer created modified versions of Corium to better understand how to avoid similar incidents in the future. The study of the substance showed, in particular, that watering after the formation of the corium in reality prevents the decay of some elements and the formation of more dangerous isotopes.

  Of the five cases of corium formation, only in Chernobyl was nuclear lava able to escape from the reactor. Without a cooling system, the radioactive mass crawled through the power unit for a week after the accident, absorbing molten concrete and sand, which mixed with molecules of uranium (fuel) and zirconium (coating). This poisonous lava flowed down, eventually melting the floor of the building. When the inspectors finally entered the power unit a few months after the accident, they found an 11-ton, three-meter landslide in the corner of the steam distribution corridor below. Then it was called "elephant foot". Over the following years, the "elephant's foot" was cooled and crushed. But even today, its remains are still several degrees warmer than the environment, as the decay of radioactive elements continues.

  Ledbetter can't remember exactly where he got these photos. He compiled a photo library almost 20 years ago and the website that hosts them is still in good shape; only thumbnails of the images were lost. (Ledbetter, still at PNNL, was surprised to learn that the photos are still available online.) But he remembers for sure that he did not send anyone to photograph the "elephant's foot", so it was most likely sent by one of his Ukrainian colleagues.

  The photo began to circulate on other sites, and in 2013 Kyle Hill stumbled upon it while writing an article about the "elephant foot" for Nautilus magazine. He traced her origins back to the PNNL lab. A long-lost description of the photo was found on the site: "Arthur Korneev, deputy director of the Shelter object, studies nuclear lava "elephant's foot", Chernobyl. Photographer: unknown. Autumn 1996." Ledbetter confirmed that the description matched the photo.

  Artur Korneev- an inspector from Kazakhstan, who has been educating employees, telling and protecting them from the "elephant's foot" since its formation after the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986, a lover of dark jokes. Most likely, the NY Times reporter last spoke to him in 2014 in Slavutych, a city specially built for evacuated personnel from Pripyat (Chernobyl).

  The shot was probably taken at a slower shutter speed than the other photos to give the photographer time to enter the frame, which explains the effect of movement and why the headlamp looks like lightning. The graininess of the photo is probably caused by radiation.

  For Korneev, this particular visit to the power unit was one of several hundred dangerous trips to the core since his first day of work in the days following the explosion. His first assignment was to identify fuel deposits and help measure radiation levels (an "elephant's foot" originally "shone" at more than 10,000 roentgens per hour, which kills a person at a distance of a meter in less than two minutes). Shortly thereafter, he led a cleanup operation that sometimes had to remove whole chunks of nuclear fuel out of the way. More than 30 people died from acute radiation sickness during the cleaning of the power unit. Despite the incredible dose of radiation he received, Korneev himself continued to return to the hastily built concrete sarcophagus again and again, often with journalists to protect them from danger.

  In 2001, he led an Associated Press reporter to the core, where the radiation level was 800 roentgens per hour. In 2009, renowned fiction writer Marcel Theroux wrote an article for Travel + Leisure about his trip to the sarcophagus and about a crazy guide without a gas mask who mocked Theroux's fears and said that it was "pure psychology". Although Theroux referred to him as Viktor Korneev, in all likelihood the person was Arthur, as he dropped the same dirty jokes a few years later with a journalist from the NY Times.

  His current occupation is unknown. When the Times found Korneev a year and a half ago, he was helping build the vault for the sarcophagus, a $1.5 billion project due to be completed in 2017. It is planned that the vault will completely close the Vault and prevent the leakage of isotopes. In his 60-something years, Korneev looked sickly, suffered from cataracts, and was banned from visiting the sarcophagus after being repeatedly irradiated in previous decades.

  However, Korneev's sense of humor remained unchanged. He seems to have no regrets about his life's work: "Soviet radiation," he jokes, "is the best radiation in the world." .

  
  

Radiation is the flow of particles formed during nuclear reactions or radioactive decay.. We all have heard about the danger of radioactive radiation for the human body and we know that it can cause a huge number of pathological conditions. But often most people do not know what exactly is the danger of radiation and how you can protect yourself from it. In this article, we examined what radiation is, what is its danger to humans, and what diseases it can cause.

What is radiation

The definition of this term is not very clear for a person who is not related to physics or, for example, medicine. The term "radiation" refers to the release of particles formed during nuclear reactions or radioactive decay. That is, this is the radiation that comes out of certain substances.

Radioactive particles have different ability to penetrate and pass through different substances. Some of them can pass through glass, the human body, concrete.

Based on the knowledge of the ability of specific radioactive waves to pass through materials, rules for protection against radiation are drawn up. For example, the walls of X-ray rooms are made of lead, through which radioactive radiation cannot pass.

Radiation happens:

• natural. It forms the natural radiation background to which we are all accustomed. The sun, soil, stones emit radiation. They are not dangerous to the human body.
• technogenic, that is, one that was created as a result of human activity. This includes receiving radio active substances from the depths of the Earth, the use of nuclear fuels, reactors, etc.

How radiation enters the human body

Radiation is dangerous to humans. When its level rises above the permissible norm, various diseases and damage to internal organs and systems. Against the background of radiation exposure, malignant oncological pathologies can develop. Radiation is also used in medicine. It is used to diagnose and treat many diseases.

The word "radiation" is more often understood as ionizing radiation associated with radioactive decay. At the same time, a person experiences the action of non-ionizing types of radiation: electromagnetic and ultraviolet.

The main sources of radiation are:

• natural radioactive substances around and inside us - 73%;
• medical procedures (radioscopy and others) - 13%;
• cosmic radiation - 14%.

Of course, there are technogenic sources of pollution that appeared as a result of major accidents. These are the most dangerous events for mankind, because, as in a nuclear explosion, iodine (J-131), cesium (Cs-137) and strontium (mainly Sr-90) can be released in this case. Weapons-grade plutonium (Pu-241) and its decay products are no less dangerous.

Also, do not forget that for the last 40 years the Earth's atmosphere has been very heavily polluted by radioactive products of atomic and hydrogen bombs. Of course, at the moment, radioactive fallout falls only in connection with natural disasters, such as volcanic eruptions. But, on the other hand, during the fission of a nuclear charge at the time of the explosion, a radioactive isotope of carbon-14 is formed with a half-life of 5,730 years. The explosions changed the equilibrium content of carbon-14 in the atmosphere by 2.6%. At present, the average effective dose equivalent rate due to explosion products is about 1 mrem/year, which is approximately 1% of the dose rate due to natural background radiation.

mos-rep.ru

Energy is another reason for the serious accumulation of radionuclides in the human and animal body. The coal used to operate the CHP plant contains naturally occurring radioactive elements such as potassium-40, uranium-238 and thorium-232. The annual dose in the area of ​​coal-fired CHP is 0.5–5 mrem/year. By the way, nuclear power plants are characterized by significantly lower emissions.

Almost all inhabitants of the Earth undergo medical procedures using sources of ionizing radiation. But this is a more complex issue, to which we will return a little later.

What units is radiation measured in?

Various units are used to measure the amount of radiation energy. In medicine, the main one is the sievert - the effective equivalent dose received in one procedure by the whole organism. It is in sieverts per unit time that the level of background radiation is measured. The becquerel is a unit of measure for the radioactivity of water, soil, and so on per unit volume.

See the table for other units of measurement.

Term	Units		Unit ratio	Definition
	In the SI system	In the old system
Activity	Becquerel, Bq		1 Ci = 3.7 × 10 10 Bq	Number of radioactive decays per unit time
Dose rate	Sievert per hour, Sv/h	X-ray per hour, R/h	1 µR/h = 0.01 µSv/h	Radiation level per unit of time
Absorbed dose		radian, rad	1 rad = 0.01 Gy	The amount of ionizing radiation energy transferred to a specific object
Effective dose	Sievert, Sv		1 rem = 0.01 Sv	Radiation dose, taking into account the different sensitivity of organs to radiation

Consequences of irradiation

The effect of radiation on a person is called irradiation. Its main manifestation is acute radiation sickness, which has various degrees of severity. Radiation sickness can manifest itself when irradiated with a dose equal to 1 sievert. A dose of 0.2 Sv increases the risk of cancer, and a dose of 3 Sv threatens the life of the irradiated person.

Radiation sickness manifests itself in the form of the following symptoms: loss of strength, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting; dry, hacking cough; cardiac disorders.

In addition, radiation causes radiation burns. Very large doses lead to the death of the skin, up to muscle and bone damage, which is treated much worse than chemical or thermal burns. Along with burns, metabolic disorders, infectious complications, radiation infertility, radiation cataracts may appear.

The consequences of irradiation can manifest themselves after a long time - this is the so-called stochastic effect. It is expressed in the fact that among exposed people the frequency of certain oncological diseases may increase. Theoretically, genetic effects are also possible, but even among the 78,000 Japanese children who survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, they did not find an increase in the number of cases of hereditary diseases. And this is despite the fact that the effects of irradiation have a stronger effect on dividing cells, so radiation is much more dangerous for children than for adults.

Short-term exposure to low doses, used for examination and treatment of certain diseases, gives rise to an interesting effect called hormesis. This is the stimulation of any system of the body by external influences that have a force insufficient to manifest harmful factors. This effect allows the body to mobilize forces.

Statistically, radiation can increase the level of oncology, but it is very difficult to identify the direct effect of radiation, separating it from the action of chemically harmful substances, viruses, and other things. It is known that after the bombing of Hiroshima, the first effects in the form of an increase in the incidence began to appear only after 10 years or more. Cancer of the thyroid, breast and certain parts of the body is directly related to radiation.

chornobyl.in.ua

The natural radiation background is about 0.1–0.2 µSv/h. It is believed that a constant background level above 1.2 μSv / h is dangerous for humans (it is necessary to distinguish between an instantly absorbed radiation dose and a constant background dose). Is it a lot? For comparison: the level of radiation at a distance of 20 km from the Japanese nuclear power plant "Fukushima-1" at the time of the accident exceeded the norm by 1,600 times. The maximum recorded radiation level at this distance is 161 µSv/h. After the explosion, the radiation level reached several thousand microsieverts per hour.

During a 2–3-hour flight over an ecologically clean area, a person receives exposure to 20–30 μSv. The same dose of radiation threatens if a person takes 10-15 pictures in one day with a modern x-ray machine - a visiograph. A couple of hours in front of a cathode ray monitor or TV gives the same dose of radiation as one such picture. The annual dose from smoking one cigarette a day is 2.7 mSv. One fluorography - 0.6 mSv, one radiography - 1.3 mSv, one fluoroscopy - 5 mSv. Radiation from concrete walls - up to 3 mSv per year.

When irradiating the whole body and for the first group of critical organs (heart, lungs, brain, pancreas, and others), regulatory documents set the maximum dose value at 50,000 μSv (5 rem) per year.

Acute radiation sickness develops at a single exposure dose of 1,000,000 μSv (25,000 digital fluorography, 1,000 spinal radiographs in one day). Large doses have an even stronger effect:

• 750,000 µSv - short-term insignificant change in blood composition;
• 1,000,000 µSv - mild degree of radiation sickness;
• 4,500,000 µSv - severe radiation sickness (50% of those exposed die);
• about 7,000,000 µSv - death.

Are x-rays dangerous?

Most often, we encounter radiation during medical research. However, the doses that we receive in the process are so small that we should not be afraid of them. The irradiation time with an old X-ray machine is 0.5–1.2 seconds. And with a modern visiograph, everything happens 10 times faster: in 0.05-0.3 seconds.

According to the medical requirements set forth in SanPiN 2.6.1.1192-03, during preventive medical radiological procedures, the radiation dose should not exceed 1,000 μSv per year. How much is in pictures? Quite a bit of:

• 500 sighting images (2–3 μSv) obtained with a radiovisiograph;
• 100 of the same images, but using a good X-ray film (10–15 µSv);
• 80 digital orthopantomograms (13–17 µSv);
• 40 film orthopantomograms (25–30 μSv);
• 20 computed tomograms (45–60 μSv).

That is, if every day throughout the year we take one image on a visiograph, add to this a couple of computed tomograms and the same number of orthopantomograms, then even in this case we will not go beyond the permitted doses.

Who should not be irradiated

However, there are people to whom even such types of exposure are strictly prohibited. According to the standards approved in Russia (SanPiN 2.6.1.1192-03), irradiation in the form of X-rays can only be performed in the second half of pregnancy, except in cases where the issue of abortion or the need for emergency or emergency care must be resolved.

Paragraph 7.18 of the document reads: “X-ray examinations of pregnant women are carried out using all possible means and methods of protection so that the dose received by the fetus does not exceed 1 mSv in two months of undetected pregnancy. If the fetus receives a dose exceeding 100 mSv, the doctor must warn the patient about the possible consequences and recommend terminating the pregnancy.”

Young people who will become parents in the future need to cover the abdominal area and genitals from radiation. X-ray radiation has the most negative effect on blood cells and germ cells. In children, in general, the entire body should be shielded, except for the area being examined, and studies should be carried out only when necessary and as directed by a doctor.

Sergey Nelyubin, Head of the Department of X-ray Diagnostics, RNCH named after I.I. B. V. Petrovsky, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor

How to protect yourself

There are three main methods of X-ray protection: time protection, distance protection and shielding. That is, the less you are in the zone of action of X-rays and the farther you are from the radiation source, the lower the radiation dose.

Although the safe dose of radiation exposure is calculated for a year, it is still not worth doing several x-ray studies on the same day, for example, fluorography and. Well, each patient should have a radiation passport (it is invested in a medical card): the radiologist enters information about the dose received during each examination into it.

Radiography primarily affects the endocrine glands, the lungs. The same applies to small doses of radiation during accidents and releases of active substances. Therefore, as a preventive measure, doctors recommend breathing exercises. They will help cleanse the lungs and activate the reserves of the body.

To normalize the internal processes of the body and remove harmful substances, it is worth using more antioxidants: vitamins A, C, E (red wine, grapes). Sour cream, cottage cheese, milk, grain bread, bran, raw rice, prunes are useful.

In the event that food products inspire certain concerns, you can use the recommendations for residents of the regions affected by the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

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In real exposure due to an accident or in a contaminated area, quite a lot needs to be done. First you need to carry out decontamination: quickly and accurately remove clothes and shoes with radiation carriers, properly dispose of them, or at least remove radioactive dust from your belongings and surrounding surfaces. It is enough to wash the body and clothes (separately) under running water using detergents.

Before or after exposure to radiation, nutritional supplements and anti-radiation drugs are used. The most well-known drugs are high in iodine, which helps to effectively combat the negative effects of its radioactive isotope, localized in thyroid gland. To block the accumulation of radioactive cesium and prevent secondary damage, "Potassium orotate" is used. Calcium supplements deactivate the radioactive strontium preparation by 90%. Dimethyl sulfide is shown to protect cellular structures.

By the way, the well-known activated carbon can neutralize the effect of radiation. And the benefits of drinking vodka immediately after exposure are not a myth at all. It really helps to remove radioactive isotopes from the body in the simplest cases.

Just do not forget: self-treatment should be carried out only if it is impossible to consult a doctor in a timely manner and only in the case of real, not fictitious exposure. X-ray diagnostics, watching TV or flying on an airplane do not affect the health of the average inhabitant of the Earth.

In recent years, we can increasingly hear about the radioactive threat to all of humanity. Unfortunately, this is true, and, as the experience of the Chernobyl accident and the nuclear bomb in Japanese cities has shown, radiation can turn from a faithful assistant into a fierce enemy. And in order to know what radiation is and how to protect yourself from its negative effects, let's try to analyze all the available information.

Impact of radioactive elements on human health

Every person at least once in his life came across the concept of "radiation". But what is radiation and how dangerous it is, few people know. To understand this issue in more detail, it is necessary to carefully study all types of radiation effects on humans and nature. Radiation is the process of radiation of the flow of elementary particles of the electromagnetic field. The effect of radiation on human life and health is commonly referred to as irradiation. In the process of this phenomenon, radiation multiplies in the cells of the body and thereby destroys it. Radiation exposure is especially dangerous for young children, whose bodies have not sufficiently formed and become stronger. The defeat of a person by such a phenomenon can cause the most serious diseases: infertility, cataracts, infectious diseases and tumors (both malignant and benign). In any case, radiation does not benefit human life, but only destroys it. But do not forget that you can protect yourself and purchase a radiation dosimeter, with which you will always know about the radioactive level of the environment.

In fact, the body reacts to radiation, not to its source. Radioactive substances enter the human body through the air (during the respiratory process), as well as when eating food and water, which were initially irradiated with a stream of radiation rays. The most dangerous radiation, perhaps, is internal. It is carried out to treat certain diseases when radioisotopes are used in medical diagnostics.

Types of radiation

To answer the question of what radiation is as clearly as possible, one should consider its varieties. According to the nature and effects on humans, there are several types of radiation:

1. Alpha particles are heavy particles that have a positive charge and appear in the form of a helium nucleus. Their impact on the human body is sometimes irreversible.
2. Beta particles are ordinary electrons.
3. Gamma radiation - has a high level of penetration.
4. Neutrons are electrically charged neutral particles that exist only in those places where there is a nuclear reactor nearby. An ordinary person cannot feel this type of radiation on his body, since access to the reactor is very limited.
5. X-rays are perhaps the safest form of radiation. Essentially similar to gamma radiation. However, the most striking example of X-ray radiation can be called the Sun, which illuminates our planet. Thanks to the atmosphere, people are protected from high background radiation.

Alpha, Beta and Gamma emitting particles are considered to be extremely dangerous. They can cause genetic diseases, malignant tumors and even death. By the way, according to experts, nuclear power plant radiation emitted into the environment is not dangerous, although it combines almost all types of radioactive contamination. Sometimes antiques and antiques are treated with radiation to avoid rapid deterioration of cultural heritage. However, radiation quickly reacts with living cells, and subsequently destroys them. Therefore, one should be wary of antiquities. Clothing serves as elementary protection against the penetration of external radiation. You should not count on complete protection from radiation on a sunny hot day. In addition, radiation sources may not give themselves away for a long time and be active at the moment when you are around.

How to measure the level of radiation

The level of radiation can be measured with a dosimeter both in industrial and domestic households. For those who live near nuclear power plants, or people who are simply concerned about their safety, this device will be simply indispensable. The main purpose of such a device as a radiation dosimeter is to measure the dose rate of radiation. This indicator can be checked not only with respect to a person and a room. Sometimes you have to pay attention to some items that can be dangerous to humans. Children's toys, food and building materials - each of the items can be endowed with a certain dose of radiation. For those residents who live near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, where a terrible disaster occurred in 1986, it is simply necessary to buy a dosimeter in order to always be on the alert and know what dose of radiation is present in the environment at a particular moment. Fans of extreme entertainment, trips to places remote from civilization should provide themselves with items for their own safety in advance. It is impossible to clean the earth, building materials or food from radiation. Therefore, it is better to avoid adverse effects on your body.

Computer - source of radiation

Perhaps many people think so. However, this is not quite true. A certain level of radiation comes only from the monitor, and even then, only from the electro-beam. At the present time, manufacturers do not produce such equipment, which has been excellently replaced by liquid crystal and plasma screens. But in many homes, old electric beam TVs and monitors are still functioning. They are a rather weak source of X-ray radiation. Due to the thickness of the glass, this very radiation remains on it and does not harm human health. Therefore, do not worry too much.

Radiation dose relative to terrain

It can be said with extreme accuracy that natural radiation is a very variable parameter. Depending on the geographical location and a certain time period, this indicator may vary within a wide range. For example, the radiation rate on Moscow streets ranges from 8 to 12 micro-roentgens per hour. But on the mountain peaks, it will be 5 times higher, since there the protective capabilities of the atmosphere are much lower than in settlements that are closer to the level of the world ocean. It should be noted that in places of accumulation of dust and sand, saturated with a high content of uranium or thorium, the level of background radiation will be significantly increased. To determine the radiation background indicator at home, you should purchase a dosimeter-radiometer and perform appropriate measurements indoors or outdoors.

Radiation protection and its types

Recently, more and more often you can hear discussions on the topic of what radiation is and how to deal with it. And in the process of discussions, such a term as radiation protection emerges. Under radiation protection it is customary to understand a set of certain measures regarding the protection of living organisms from the effects of ionizing radiation, as well as the search for ways to reduce the damaging effect of ionizing radiation.

There are several types of radiation protection:

1. Chemical. This is a weakening of the negative effects of radiation on the body by introducing into it certain chemicals called radioprotectors.
2. Physical. This is the use of various materials that weaken the radiation background. For example, if the layer of earth that was exposed to radiation is 10 cm, then a mound 1 meter thick will reduce the amount of radiation by 10 times.
3. biological radiation protection. It is a complex of protective repairing enzymes.

To protect against different types of radiation, you can use some household items:

• From alpha radiation - a respirator, paper, rubber gloves.
• From Beta radiation - a gas mask, glass, a small layer of aluminum, plexiglass.
• From Gamma radiation - only heavy metals (lead, cast iron, steel, tungsten).
• From neutrons - various polymers, as well as water and polyethylene.

Elementary methods of protection against radiation exposure

For a person who finds himself within the radius of the radiation contamination zone, the most important issue at this point will be his own protection. Therefore, anyone who has become an unwitting prisoner of the spread of radiation levels should definitely leave their location and go as far as possible. The faster a person does this, the less likely it is to receive a certain and unwanted dose of radioactive substances. If leaving your home is not possible, then you should resort to other security measures:

• the first few days do not leave the house;
• do wet cleaning 2-3 times a day;
• shower and wash clothes as often as possible;
• to protect the body from harmful radioactive iodine-131, you should anoint a small area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe body with a solution of medical iodine (according to doctors, this procedure is effective for a month);
• in case of urgent need to leave the premises, it is worth putting a baseball cap and a hood on your head at the same time, as well as wet clothes in light colors made of cotton material.

It is dangerous to drink radioactive water, since its total radiation is quite high and can have a negative effect on the human body. The easiest way to clean it is to pass it through a charcoal filter. Of course, the shelf life of such a filter cassette is drastically reduced. Therefore, you need to change the cassette as often as possible. Another untested method is boiling. The guarantee of cleaning from radon will not be 100% in any of the cases.

Proper diet in case of danger of radiation exposure

It is well known that in the course of discussions on the topic of what radiation is, the question arises of how to protect yourself from it, what to eat and what vitamins to use. There is a list of products that are the most dangerous for consumption. The largest amount of radionuclides accumulates in fish, mushrooms and meat. Therefore, it is worth limiting yourself in the use of these foods. Vegetables should be thoroughly washed, boiled and cut off the top peel. Sunflower seeds, offal - kidneys, heart, and eggs can be considered the best products for consumption during the period of radioactive radiation. You need to eat as much iodine-containing products as possible. Therefore, each person should buy iodized salt and seafood.

Some people believe that red wine will protect against radionuclides. There is some truth in this. When drinking 200 ml per day of this drink, the body becomes less vulnerable to radiation. But the accumulated radionuclides cannot be removed with wine, so the total radiation still remains. However, some substances contained in the wine drink can block the harmful effects of radiation elements. However, in order to avoid problems, it is necessary to remove harmful substances from the body with the help of medicines.

Medical radiation protection

A certain proportion of radionuclides that have entered the body can be tried to be removed using sorbent preparations. The simplest means that can weaken the effects of radiation include activated charcoal, which should be consumed 2 tablets before meals. A similar property is endowed with such medications as Enterosgel and Atoxil. They block harmful elements, enveloping them, and remove them from the body with the help of the urinary system. At the same time, harmful radioactive elements, even remaining in the body in small quantities, will not be able to have a significant impact on human health.

The use of herbal preparations against radiation

In the fight against the excretion of radionuclides, not only medicines purchased at a pharmacy can help, but also some types of herbs that will cost many times less. For example, lungwort, zamaniha and ginseng root can be attributed to radioprotective plants. In addition, to reduce the level of concentration of radionuclides, it is recommended to use an extract of Eleutherococcus in the amount of half a teaspoon after breakfast, drinking this tincture with warm tea.

Can a person be a source of radiation

When exposed to the human body, radiation does not create radioactive substances in it. It follows from this that a person by himself cannot be a source of radiation. However, things that have been touched by a dangerous dose of radiation are not safe for health. There is an opinion that it is better not to keep x-rays at home. But they won't really hurt anyone. The only thing to remember is that X-rays should not be done too often, otherwise it can lead to health problems, since there is still a dose of radioactive exposure.