The health effect of radiation
Radiation can either kill or damage living cells. As many of the billions of cells in the human body are replaced every day, minor exposures to radiation may have little or no appreciable effect on an individual. Major exposures to radiation, however, can have health effects which can be divided into deterministic, or acute effects, and stochastic, or late effects. Deterministic effects include skin burns, radiation sickness and death. Stochastic effects, on the other hand, include cancers and inheritable defects, which result from damage to the genetic material in cells.
Nuclear incidents
In general the first priority is to limit the exposure to radiation which occurs, primarily, through radioactive fallout, either by evacuation or by sheltering the affected population. Depending on the strength of the explosion or release and the prevailing meteorological conditions (e.g. wind and precipitation), a radius of between 30 and several hundreds of kilometers from the explosion epicentre should be declared a priority area for action. Emergency sheltering may be considered a preliminary solution before evacuation. Suitable emergency sheltering sites are refuges, caves, mines, and, in general, any place where there is a barrier of solid substances between radiation and humans. Radiation-free air, water and food will be required to diminish the hazard.
Victims of radiation from nuclear explosions should be moved as quickly as possible to an appropriate medical establishment. In some types of incidents, hundreds or even thousands of people may need to be examined for external or internal contamination. Such examinations require specialized equipment. The scope of, and the need for decontamination will depend on whether there is evidence of body surface contamination. Contaminated clothing will need to be handled appropriately and disposed of according to accepted procedures. The person will require thorough showering and the provision of uncontaminated clothing. Any illness should be treated immediately.
Where there is evidence of internal contamination with radio-active iodine, stable iodine prophylaxis is needed to avoid excessive thyroid radiation doses and, especially in young people, to reduce the risk of thyroid cancer in later life.
Stable iodine prophylaxis
Exposure to radioisotopes of iodine following the accidental release of radioiodine can result in a significant increase in thyroid cancer in, especially, young children. Inhaled and ingested radioiodine is preferentially taken up by the thyroid and, compared with adolescents and adults, young children’s thyroids are more radiosensitive.
Stable iodine blocks the uptake of radioactive iodine by the thyroid. It is available in a number of forms and is most effective when taken as close as possible to the first exposure to radioactive iodine. A single dose will normally protect against inhalation. If a release lasts longer than a day the preferred response, if practicable, is evacuation.
Further doses to protect against the ingestion pathway may be required if uncontaminated food supplies are not available. The age recommended single doses (equivalent mass of iodine – dose is usually taken as either potassium iodate or potassium iodide) are:
a) >12 years 100mg
b) 3–12 years 50mg
c) 1 month to 3 years 25mg
d) <1 month Single does 12.5mg
Depending on the results of diagnostic investigations, substantial emergency surgical treatment may be required; this can only be provided by competent, trained physicians and nurses operating in sterile treatment facilities.
When radionuclide contamination spans national boundaries, international and national authorities would normally take the lead role in radiation emergencies. However local authorities can play a key role in the alleviation of health consequences of radiation emergencies.
Radiation emergencies can have severe psychological effects on the victims, as the fear of an unfamiliar, invisible and potentially terrible danger causes acute stress. It must be realized that such stress and its associated problems can arise even when radiation exposure is low or insignificant.
Relate Articles:
You have permission to reprint what you just read. The only requirement is including the following footer with it… ”Article by allvitalpoints.com, visit http://www.allvitalpoints.com for more original content like this. Reprint permission granted with this footer included.”
Related posts:
[New Post] Mitigating the effects of exposure to radiation – via #twitoaster http://www.allvitalpoints.com/mitigating…