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What You Need to Know About Radiation Safety
Release Date:
2023/09/17
As nuclear science and technology continue to advance, the applications of nuclear techniques are becoming increasingly widespread, bringing “nuclear” ever closer to our daily lives. However, due to a lack of understanding, many people still react with apprehension at the mere mention of “nuclear.” To effectively prepare for nuclear radiation emergencies and ensure the safe application of nuclear technologies, it is essential that more people gain knowledge about and develop a sound understanding of “nuclear.”
Now, let’s learn about it together!
▲What is radiation?
Radiation is classified into ionizing radiation and non-ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation primarily includes high-energy rays such as X-rays and CT scans, which have sufficient energy to alter DNA structure; these are referred to as ionizing radiation and can indeed cause significant harm to the human body when exposure exceeds established dose limits.
When passing through areas marked with the aforementioned signs, we must remain especially vigilant and take appropriate personal protective measures.
Non-ionizing radiation primarily includes: in daily life, anything that emits light or heat produces non-ionizing radiation to varying degrees; the levels are very low and do not pose a health risk. For example, common household appliances such as computers, mobile phones, televisions, microwave ovens, and ovens all emit non-ionizing radiation.
▲What is nuclear radiation?
Nuclear radiation is also commonly referred to as radioactivity. It is a flux of microscopic particles emitted when an atomic nucleus transitions from one structural or energy state to another, such as X-rays, gamma rays, and neutrons. Nuclear radiation is a form of ionizing radiation.
▲What is a radionuclide?
Radioactive substances that emit nuclear radiation are called radionuclides; most radionuclides are unstable, such as iodine-131, cesium-134, and cesium-137.
▲ What are the categories of radiation exposure?
Radiation is primarily classified into internal exposure and external exposure.
Internal exposure refers to the radiation dose received by the human body from radionuclides that have entered the body. Once a radionuclide is ingested, the resulting internal exposure persists for a certain period; in some cases, it may even result in lifelong exposure. The duration of this exposure depends on the radionuclide’s distribution, excretion, and physical decay within the body.
External exposure refers to radiation delivered to the human body from a radiation source or radiation beam located outside the body; as soon as the individual moves out of the radiation field, the exposure ceases.
Of course, depending on the specific activity or exposure condition, radiation exposure is further classified into occupational exposure, medical exposure, emergency exposure, and continuous exposure, among others.
▲What are the objectives and tasks of radiation protection?
The objective of radiation protection is to prevent harmful tissue reactions and to limit the incidence of stochastic effects to levels deemed acceptable.
The fundamental task is to ensure the safety of radiation workers themselves, their descendants, the general public, and all humanity, as well as to protect the environment, while at the same time permitting the conduct of essential practices that may involve radiation in order to benefit humankind.
▲ What are the basic principles of radiation protection?
The “three principles” of radiation protection are justification of practice, optimization of protection, and dose limits.
▲ What protective measures are in place for internal and external radiation exposure?
The fundamental principle of internal radiation protection is to establish comprehensive rules and regulations, implement a variety of effective measures to block all pathways by which radioactive substances can enter the human body, and, in accordance with the optimization principle, reduce intake to the lowest level reasonably achievable.
The three fundamental principles of external radiation protection are time, distance, and shielding: minimize exposure time, increase the distance from the radiation source, and place sufficient shielding material between the person and the radiation. Time protection: the longer the duration of radiation exposure, the greater the dose absorbed by the body. To reduce radiation exposure, exposure time should be minimized as much as possible. Distance protection: the farther one is from the radiation source, the lower the dose received. Shielding protection: by interposing a suitable shielding material between the individual and the radiation source, radiation is absorbed, thereby reducing the amount of radiation that reaches the body and lowering the individual’s radiation dose. The choice of shielding material varies depending on the type of radiation.
▲What are the effects of radiation on the human body?
Based on the relationship between the occurrence of radiation effects and the dose, radiation is classified into stochastic effects and deterministic effects.
Stochastic effects are those whose probability of occurrence—rather than their severity—is related to the dose received. Because the probability of stochastic effects is very low, they rarely occur under the low-dose exposures typically encountered in the daily work of radiation workers.
The deterministic effect is a threshold-dependent phenomenon: it occurs only when the dose exceeds a specific threshold, and its severity is directly proportional to the dose—higher doses lead to more severe consequences. The exact value of this threshold varies from individual to individual. In practice, the dose thresholds for deterministic effects are quite high, making such exposures unlikely under normal circumstances; they typically arise only in the context of major nuclear or radiological accidents.
▲ What should you do when exposed to harmful radiation?
① First, minimize the exposure time as much as possible, maintain the greatest possible distance from radioactive contamination zones, and use lead sheets, steel plates, or walls to block or reduce the intensity of radiation.
② When entering an area where the air is heavily contaminated with radioactive substances, it is essential to take strict protective measures for the five senses: cover the mouth and nose with a handkerchief, towel, cloth, mask, or similar item to minimize inhalation of radioactive materials.
③ Following a nuclear radiation emergency, promptly close windows and ventilation openings and switch to recirculated air. If indoors, turn off air conditioners, exhaust fans, boilers, and other air inlets. While in a vehicle, keep windows and ventilation openings closed and activate the cabin recirculation mode.
④ If you have already been exposed to nuclear radiation contamination, change your clothes and shoes immediately. Place the contaminated clothing in a plastic bag, seal it tightly, label it clearly, and store it in a remote location. Thoroughly wash your entire body.
⑤ Following a nuclear radiation emergency, avoid getting wet in the rain, minimize exposed skin as much as possible, and wear long clothing, a hat, a headscarf, goggles, a raincoat, gloves, and boots. Protection of the neck (thyroid) area is especially important.
⑥ For your own safety and health as well as that of others, remember to promptly dial 12369—the environmental complaint hotline of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China—when an accident occurs. During such incidents, do your best to obtain reliable information about the emergency and stay informed about decisions and announcements issued by government authorities. Maintain open lines of communication with national authoritative agencies through all available channels, and avoid credulously believing rumors or unverified hearsay.
▲ What are the connections between radiation and our daily lives?
Artificial nuclear radiation has found increasingly widespread applications in industries such as manufacturing, medicine, agriculture, and defense, as well as in aerospace and the energy sector. For example, nuclear energy—well known to all—is an efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly source of power that now plays a pivotal role in global energy supply; moreover, radiation levels around nuclear power plants are far lower than those from natural background radiation.
In the food sector, nuclear radiation can inhibit sprouting in garlic and legumes and extend the shelf life of vegetables and dried fruits. A significant portion of our diet is also derived from crops produced through radiation-induced mutagenesis, such as soybeans and rice, which are commonly consumed; these foods, in themselves, do not pose any harm to human health.
In daily life, X-ray security scanners are widely used in places such as subways and airports to inspect luggage for safety.
Therefore, there is no need to panic when we talk about “nuclear” technology; our daily lives are already closely intertwined with it. A correct understanding of radiation and its responsible application are the essential pathways to a brighter, more promising future.
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