Sources of radiation in everyday life. Start in science The influence of radon on living organisms

The word “radiation” has long been entrenched in the minds of many people as something extremely dangerous, bringing chaos and destruction: invisible, without taste or smell, and therefore even more frightening. Considering the consequences that, for example, an accident at a nuclear power plant or an atomic bomb explosion can lead to, it is difficult to disagree with this opinion - after all, a high dose of radiation is truly deadly.

In everyday life, we constantly encounter radiation in small doses. And this, in general, does not cause concern or fear to anyone.

Scanners at airports

Over the past few years, many major airports have acquired security scanners. They differ from conventional metal detector frames in that they “create” a complete image of a person on the screen using Backscatter X-ray technology. In this case, the rays do not pass through - they are reflected. As a result, the passenger undergoing screening receives a small dose of X-ray radiation. During scanning, objects of different densities are painted on the screen in different colors. For example, metal items will appear as a black spot.

There is another type of scanner, it uses millimeter waves. It is a transparent capsule with rotating antennas.

Unlike metal detector frames, such devices are considered more effective in searching for prohibited items. Manufacturers of scanners claim that they are absolutely safe for the health of passengers. However, large-scale studies on this matter have not yet been carried out in the world. Therefore, the opinions of experts are divided: some support the manufacturers, others believe that such devices still cause some harm.

For example, biochemist from the University of California David Agard believes that an X-ray scanner is still harmful. According to the scientist, a person undergoing inspection on this device receives 20 times more radiation than stated by the manufacturers.

X-ray

Another source of so-called “household radiation” is x-ray examination. For example, one photograph of a tooth produces from 1 to 5 μSv (microsievert is a unit of measurement for the effective dose of ionizing radiation). And a chest X-ray - from 30?300 µSv. A radiation dose of approximately 1 sievert is considered lethal.

According to a study by doctors, 27 percent of all radiation that a person receives during his life comes from medical examinations.

Cigarettes

In 2008, there was active talk in the world that, in addition to other “harmful things,” tobacco also contained the toxic agent polonium-210.

According to the World Health Organization, the toxic properties of this radioactive element are much higher than those of any known cyanide. According to the management of the British American Tobacco company, a moderate smoker (no more than 1 pack per day) receives only 1/5 of the daily dose of the isotope.

Bananas and other food

Some natural foods contain the naturally occurring radioactive isotope carbon-14 as well as potassium-40. These include potatoes, beans, sunflower seeds, nuts, and also bananas.

By the way, potassium-40, according to scientists, has the longest half-life - more than a billion years. Another interesting point: in the “body” of an average-sized banana, about 15 acts of decomposition of potassium-40 occur every second. In this regard, the scientific world even came up with a comic value called “banana equivalent.” This is how they began to call the radiation dose comparable to eating one banana.

It is worth noting that bananas, despite their potassium-40 content, do not pose any danger to human health. By the way, every year a person receives a radiation dose of about 400 μSv through food and water.

Air travel and space radiation

Radiation from space is partially blocked by the Earth's atmosphere. The further into the sky, the higher the radiation level. This is why when traveling by plane a person receives a slightly higher dose. On average it is 5 μSv per hour of flight. At the same time, experts do not recommend flying more than 72 hours a month.

Actually, one of the main sources is the Earth. Radiation occurs due to radioactive substances contained in the soil, in particular uranium and thorium. The average background radiation is about 480 μSv per year. However, in some regions, for example, in the Indian state of Kerala, it is much higher due to the impressive thorium content in the soil.

What about mobile phones and WI-FI routers?

Contrary to popular belief, there is no “radiation threat” from these devices. The same cannot be said about cathode ray tube televisions and the same computer monitors (yes, they are still available). But even in this case, the radiation dose is negligible. In a year, only up to 10 μSv can be obtained from such a device.

The dose of radiation received by a person from natural and “household” sources is considered safe for the body. Experts believe that radiation accumulated over a lifetime should not exceed 700,000 μSv.

radiation irradiation ionizing

Radiation exposure from nuclear power plants is unlikely to increase the natural level of radioactivity on our planet. There is no reason for alarm, especially when comparing the benefits of nuclear power plants with their immeasurably small impact on the radioactivity of the environment around us. All calculations were carried out on a large scale: in relation to the entire planet and humanity for decades to come. Naturally, the question arises: don’t we encounter invisible rays in everyday life? Doesn’t a person create additional sources of radiation around him during this or that activity, do we use these sources, sometimes without associating them with the effects of atomic radiation?

In modern life, a person actually creates a number of sources that influence him, sometimes very weak, and sometimes quite strong.

Let's look at the well-known X-ray diagnostic devices that all clinics are equipped with and which we encounter during all kinds of preventive examinations carried out on a mass scale among the population. Statistics show that the number of people undergoing x-ray examinations increases every year by 5-15%, depending on the country and the level of medical care. We all know well the enormous benefits that x-ray diagnostics brings to modern medicine. The man got sick. The doctor sees signs of a serious illness. X-ray examination often provides decisive data, following which the doctor prescribes treatment and saves a person’s life. In all these cases, it no longer matters what radiation dose the patient receives during a particular procedure. We are talking about a sick person, about eliminating an immediate threat to his health, and in this situation it is hardly appropriate to consider the possible long-term consequences of the irradiation procedure itself.

But over the last decade, there has been a tendency in medicine to increase the use of X-ray examinations of the healthy population, from schoolchildren and army conscripts to the adult population - in the order of medical examination. Of course, doctors also set humane goals for themselves: to promptly identify the onset of a still hidden disease in order to begin treatment on time and with great success. As a result, thousands, hundreds of thousands of healthy people pass through x-ray rooms. Ideally, doctors strive to conduct such examinations annually. As a result, the overall exposure of the population increases. What radiation doses are we talking about during medical examinations?

The Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation at the UN carefully studied this issue, and the findings surprised many. It turned out that today the population receives the highest dose of radiation from medical examinations. Having calculated the total average radiation dose for the entire population of developed countries from various sources of radiation, the committee found that exposure from power reactors, even by 2000, is unlikely to exceed 2 - 4% of natural radiation, from radioactive fallout 3 - 6%, and from medical exposure, the population annually receives doses reaching 20% ​​of the natural background.

Each diagnostic “candling” exposes the organ being examined to radiation, ranging from a dose equal to the annual dose from the natural background (approximately 0.1 rad) to a dose 50 times higher (up to 5 rad). Of particular interest are doses received during diagnostic imaging of critical tissues such as the gonads (increasing the likelihood of genetic damage to the offspring) or hematopoietic tissues such as bone marrow.

On average, medical diagnostic X-ray examinations for the population of developed countries (England, Japan, USSR, USA, Sweden, etc.) amount to an average annual dose equal to one fifth of the natural background radiation.

These are, of course, very large doses on average, comparable to the natural background, and it is hardly appropriate to talk about any danger here. However, modern technology makes it possible to reduce dose loads during preventive examinations, and this should be used.

A significant reduction in the radiation dose during X-ray examinations can be achieved by improving equipment, protection, increasing the sensitivity of recording devices and reducing irradiation time.

Where else in our daily lives do we encounter increased ionizing radiation?

At one time, watches with a luminous dial became widespread. The luminescent mass applied to the dial included radium salts. Radium radiation excited the luminescent paint, and it glowed in the dark with a bluish light. But radium radiation with an energy of 0.18 MeV penetrated beyond the clock and irradiated the surrounding space. A typical hand-held luminous watch contained between 0.015 and 4.5 mCi of radium. The calculation showed that the muscle tissue of the arm receives the largest dose of radiation (about 2 - 4 rad) per year. Muscle tissue is relatively radioresistant, and this circumstance did not worry radiobiologists. But a luminous watch worn on the wrist for a very long time is located at the level of the gonads and, therefore, can cause significant radiation exposure to these radiosensitive cells. That is why special calculations of the dose to these tissues per year were undertaken.

Based on calculations that the watch is on the wrist 16 hours a day, the possible radiation dose to the gonads was calculated. It turned out to lie in the range from 1 to 60 mrad/year. A significantly higher dose can be obtained from a large pocket watch with light, especially if carried in a vest pocket. In this case, the radiation dose can increase to 100 mrad. An examination of the sellers standing behind the counter with many luminous watches showed that the radiation dose was about 70 mrad. Such doses, doubling the natural radioactive background, increase the likelihood of hereditary damage in the offspring. That is why the International Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy Agency in 1967 recommended replacing radium in luminous masses with radionuclides such as tritium (H3) or promethium 147 (Pm147), which have soft radiation that is completely absorbed by the watch shell.

It is impossible not to mention the many luminous devices in airplane cockpits, control panels, etc. Of course, radiation levels are very different depending on the number of devices, their location and distance from the operating one, which must be constantly taken into account by sanitary inspection authorities.

Next we will talk about TV, which is used in the everyday life of any citizen. Televisions are so ubiquitous in modern society that the issue of radiation dose from a television has been thoroughly researched. The intensity of the weak secondary radiation of the screen bombarded by the electron beam depends on the voltage at which the TV system operates. As a rule, black and white TVs operating at a voltage of 15 kV produce doses of 0.5 - 1 mrad/hour on the screen surface. However, this soft radiation is absorbed by the glass or plastic coating of the tube, and already at a distance of 5 cm from the screen the radiation is practically undetectable.

The situation is different with color TVs. Operating at a much higher voltage, they give from 0.5 to 150 mrad/h near the screen at a distance of 5 cm. Let's assume you watch color TV three to four days a week for three hours a day. We get from 1 to 80 rads per year (not mrad, but rad!). this figure already significantly exceeds the natural background radiation. In reality, the doses people receive are much lower. The greater the distance from a person to the TV, the lower the radiation dose - it falls proportionally to the square of the distance.

Radiation from TV should not worry us. TV systems are being improved all the time, and their external radiation is decreasing.

Another source of weak radiation in our everyday life is products made from colored ceramics and majolica. To create the characteristic color of the glaze, which adds artistic value to ceramic dishes, vases and majolica dishes, uranium compounds have been used since ancient times, forming heat-resistant paints. Uranium, a long-lived natural radionuclide, always contains daughter decay products that produce fairly hard radiation that is easily detected by modern counters near the surface of ceramic products. The intensity of radiation quickly decreases with distance, and if in apartments there are ceramic jugs, majolica dishes or figurines on shelves in apartments, then, admiring them at a distance of 1-2 m, a person receives a vanishingly small dose of radiation. The situation is somewhat different with the fairly common ceramic coffee and tea sets. They hold the cup in their hands and touch it with their lips. True, such contacts are short-term, and significant radiation does not occur.

The corresponding calculations were carried out for the most common ceramic coffee cups. If you come into direct contact with ceramic utensils for 90 minutes during the day, then in a year your hands can receive a radiation dose of 2 to 10 rads from radiation. This dose is 100 times higher than natural background radiation.

An interesting problem arose in Germany and the USA in connection with the widespread use of a special patented mass, which included uranium and cerium compounds, for the manufacture of artificial porcelain teeth. These additives caused weak fluorescence in the porcelain teeth. Dentures were weak sources of radiation. But since they are constantly in the mouth, the gums received a noticeable dose. A special law was issued regulating the uranium content in porcelain of artificial teeth (not higher than 0.1%). Even with this content, the oral epithelium will receive a dose of about 3 rads per year, i.e. a dose 30 times greater than from the natural background.

Some types of optical glasses are made with the addition of thorium (18-30%). The manufacture of spectacle lenses from such glass resulted in weak but constant exposure to eye radiation. Currently, the content of thorium in glasses for glasses is regulated by law.

MUNICIPAL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION

LYCEUM No. 7 NAMED AFTER AVIATION MARSHAL A.N. EFIMOV

RESEARCH

"RADIATION IN OUR LIFE"

Suprunenko Valeria

student of class 9A of Municipal Educational Institution Lyceum No. 7

Millerovo

supervisor:

Tyutyunnikova Alla Mikhailovna,

Physics teacher

Millerovo

Table of contents

1.Introduction _____________________________________page 3

2 . What is radiation?__________________________page 4

1. What kind of radiation is there? Types of radiation.

   Sources of radiation.

   Internal and external human irradiation.

   Radiation effects of exposure

3. Radiation around us: ________________________________ page 5

At school;

In the house;

In building materials;

In agriculture;

In food:

In cigarettes.

4. Social survey _________________________________ page 11

5. Conclusion. _____________________________________________p. 12

6. Literature._________________________________________p. 13

Introduction.

Among the issues of scientific interest, few attract as much public attention and generate so much controversy as the question of the effects of radiation on humans and the environment. In industrialized countries hardly a week goes by without some kind of public demonstration on this issue. The same situation may soon arise in developing countries that are creating their own nuclear energy; There is every reason to believe that the debate over radiation and its effects is unlikely to die down any time soon.

Unfortunately, reliable scientific information on this issue very often does not reach the population, which therefore uses all kinds of rumors. Too often, the arguments of opponents of nuclear energy are based solely on feelings and emotions, just as often the speeches of supporters of its development come down to poorly substantiated reassuring assurances.

Radiation is truly deadly. At large doses, it causes severe tissue damage, and at small doses it can cause cancer and induce genetic defects that may appear in the children and grandchildren of the person exposed to radiation, or in his more distant descendants.

But for the bulk of the population, the most dangerous sources of radiation are not the ones that are talked about the most. A person receives the highest dose from natural sources of radiation. Radiation associated with the development of nuclear energy is only a small fraction of the radiation generated by human activity; We receive significantly larger doses from other forms of this activity that cause much less criticism, for example, from the use of X-rays in medicine. In addition, forms of daily activity such as burning coal and the use of air transport, especially constant exposure to well-sealed rooms, can lead to significant increases in exposure levels due to natural radiation. The greatest reserves for reducing radiation exposure of the population lie precisely in such “indisputable” forms of human activity.

I was very interested in the question of sources of radiation, and I decided to identify the sources of radiation in our lives. I have set myself the following goals and objectives.

Objective of the project: identify sources of radioactive radiation at school and at home; identify the benefits or harms of radiation; show the possible consequences of radioactive radiation on living organisms in order to adequately relate others to the dangers of radioactive radiation .

Project objectives: 1. Theoretically study the issue of the influence of radioactive background on the health of a schoolchild.

2. Identify sources of radioactive radiation in school, everyday life, agriculture, building materials, food and cigarettes.

Research methods: scientific-practical .

What is radiation? Types of radiation. Sources of radiation.

Radiation, or ionizing radiation, is particles and gamma quanta whose energy is high enough to create ions of different signs when exposed to matter. Radiation cannot be caused by chemical reactions.

Natural radiation has always existed: before the advent of man, and even our planet. Everything that surrounds us is radioactive: soil, water, plants and animals. Depending on the region of the planet, the level of natural radioactivity can range from 5 to 20 microroentgens per hour. According to the prevailing opinion, this level of radiation is not dangerous for humans and animals, although this point of view is controversial, since many scientists argue that radiation, even in small doses, leads to cancer and mutations. True, due to the fact that we practically cannot influence the natural level of radiation, we must try to protect ourselves as much as possible from factors that lead to a significant excess of permissible values.

Unlike natural sources of radiation, artificial radioactivity arose and is spread exclusively by human forces. The main man-made radioactive sources include nuclear weapons, industrial waste, nuclear power plants, medical equipment, antiquities taken from “forbidden” zones after the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident, and some precious stones.

Sources of radiation

External radiation from a source located outside the body. It is caused by gamma rays, x-rays, neutrons that penetrate deep into the body, and high-energy beta rays that can penetrate the superficial layers of the skin. Sources of background external radiation are cosmic radiation, gamma-emitting nuclides contained in rocks, soil, building materials (beta rays in this case can be ignored due to low ionization of air, high absorption of beta-active particles by minerals and building structures) .

Internal exposure from ionizing radiation from radioactive substances located inside the body (by inhalation, intake with water and food, penetration through the skin). Both natural and artificial radioisotopes enter the body. When exposed to radioactive decay in the tissues of the body, these isotopes emit alpha, beta particles, and gamma rays.

Radiation is all around us.

At school.

Radon

Radiation processing of incoming food products (for preservation) is dangerous for children, as it has a strong effect on the growing organism, in particular on cell division.

The concentration of radiation substances in the air, in water, especially in unventilated areas.

Construction materials.

Dirty products.

Radon is a product of the radiation decay of radium, which in turn is a product of the decay of uranium.

Uranium is found in the earth's crust and in any soil, so radon is formed on Earth constantly and everywhere.

Radon is an inert gas; it is not retained in the soil and gradually releases into the atmosphere. The concentration of radon is increased in closed, unventilated rooms, and it is especially high in basements. The specific activity of Ra and its decay products is 50 Bq/m3 (Becquerel), which is approximately 25 times higher than the average level in non-buildings. Therefore, there is a real danger of exposure within the walls of one’s own home or school.

As a result of the decay of radon, short-lived radiation isotopes of polonium, bismuth, and lead are formed in the air, which are easily attached to microscopic dust particles - aerosols.

2 radioactive isotopes of polonium with mass numbers 218 and 214 “fire” the surface of the lungs with alpha particles when breathing and cause over 97% of the radiation dose associated with radon. As a result, 1 in 300 people alive may die from lung cancer. The radon concentration is usually 5 times lower than indoors, since the main exposure occurs indoors.

Radiation in building materials.

Few people have heard that any building material can become a source of radioactive radiation. How is this dangerous for humans and animals? In fact, radiation is not dangerous if it is limited to a small dose.
Unfortunately, modern expensive materials often have a high degree of radiation. There are cases when one wooden structure carries up to 60% of the permissible radiation dose. Why is this happening?
Many building materials may contain radioactive uranium 238, potassium 40 and thorium 232, as well as other radionuclides. In any case, the end product of the decay of such elements will be radon 222. Mineral clays and potassium, as well as feldspars, usually have a high content of radionuclides.

Sand-lime brick, phosphogypsum, fiberglass, granite and crushed stone can emit radiation. Do not think that the use of such materials in the construction of premises will lead to inevitable death. In fact, even when renting diesel generators, the installations emit some harmful rays. Nevertheless, radiation values ​​are within acceptable limits. If you collect all the dangerous building materials in your home, you are unlikely to feel good.

Graphite can produce the strongest radioactive radiation. For this material, the radiation level can reach 30 roentgens per hour, and in residential premises the total background radiation from local sources cannot exceed 60 roentgens per hour. Simply put, radiation from graphite cannot be called critical, although it is quite dangerous for humans. When this material is heated, radon begins to be released. Consequently, the radiation level increases greatly. If you decide to use graphite as a fireplace lining material, then this must be taken into account.
Finally, marble is recognized as the safest material today. In addition, you can turn to artificial stone. If you want to use graphite, it is better to use it for the exterior cladding of a building.

In agriculture.

Ionizing radiation is actively used in agriculture.

It is used to disinfect food products, irradiate grain so that it germinates faster, and destroy pests. Unfortunately (or fortunately?), such methods are too expensive for Russian manufacturers, but they are known to be widely used in the USA and China. There are no clear research results on the dangers of such products, however, many scientists are convinced that food products processed in this way also carry a microcharge, which, when entering the human body, causes significant damage to his health, provokes the development of cancer pathologies, makes changes in the structure of DNA, and leads to mutations and non-viability of subsequent generations.

Radiation in food.

An ancient wisdom says: we are what we eat. When buying food every day in a store or market, it is unlikely that many people think about whether they are safe from a radiation point of view. In the overwhelming majority, we pay attention to the appearance and price, but this in no way reflects the environmental safety of the product. Radiation, no matter how trivial it may sound, acts unnoticed. According to scientists, more than 70% of natural radiation accumulated by humans comes from food and water, so you need to try to minimize their negative impact on your body by choosing environmentally friendly products.

Forest products are most often sources of radiation. In Soviet times, it was in forests that waste from the nuclear industry was buried, often spontaneously. Ionizing radiation passing through trees, shrubs, plants, mushrooms and berries accumulates in them, making them also radioactive. In addition, we should not forget about the natural level of radiation: for example, mushrooms and berries growing near deposits of granite and other rocks also become radioactive. It has been proven that the harm from consuming such foods is many times greater than from external radiation. When the source of radiation is inside, it directly affects the stomach, intestines and other human organs, and therefore even the smallest dose can cause the most severe health effects. We are at least slightly protected from external sources of radiation by clothing and the walls of our houses, but we are absolutely defenseless from internal ones.

A batch of radioactive blueberries intended for sale in Moscow was seized in the Tver region.

Not long ago, in the Tver region, while checking the blueberry harvesting process, inspectors from the State Environmental Service discovered a number of violations of Federal legislation. So, when checking the radiotoxicity of blueberries with a dosimeter, radiation of 0.74 micro-roentgen was detected at a norm of 0.14-0.15 micro-roentgen, that is, the berries were “phony” 5 times higher than the norm!

Vegetables and fruits from infected gardens

After the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, many areas of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia were contaminated with radiation. Atmospheric precipitation spread the radioactive cloud over hundreds of kilometers; in some vegetable gardens, Geiger counters are off scale even today. However, as experts from www.dozimetr.biz note, paradoxically, such lands are distinguished by record yields. Plants irradiated with radiation produce large, richly colored fruits. However, vegetables and fruits from contaminated agricultural lands also pose a deadly source of radiation. Of course, with a single use you will not notice any effect, but with systematic use you cannot avoid serious health problems. Unfortunately, in our markets and stores there is no system for mandatory verification of the radiation background of products, so peaches, apples, tomatoes or cucumbers, grown according to the seller in the nearest Moscow region, may well be rejected by “guests” from a radiation-contaminated area.

Radiation in cigarettes

A person who smokes 20 cigarettes receives 1.52 Gy, the same as a person receives if they take 200 x-rays.

Smoking is a dangerous source of internal radiation exposure. Tobacco smoke includes lead, bismuth, polonium, cesium, arsenic - they all accumulate in the lungs, bone marrow, and endocrine glands.

Tobacco isotopes of polonium-210, lead-210 are the main causes of cancer. Filters don't stop them.

It should be said that a burning cigarette is a whole chemical factory in miniature. Tobacco smoke contains more than 4 thousand different substances and compounds.

I will tell you just about a few of them:

1. Hydrocyanic acid - that is, a substance that corrodes any organic matter. In addition, the effect of this acid impairs the absorption of oxygen supplied by the blood into the body's cells, that is, it causes oxygen starvation.

Hydrogen sulfide is a gas that has the smell of rotten eggs.

Arsenic is the favorite poison of medieval villains, a 100 percent guarantee of death, only delayed in time.

Formaldehyde is a substance that is used in morgues to preserve corpses, and was previously used to make mummies. It preserves corpses, but destroys all living things.

Heavy metals (cadmium, lead and others), which are simply piled up in tobacco smoke. They change the structure of DNA molecules, making human genes defective.

Social poll.

On the territory of our lyceum, I conducted a social survey among 11th grade students, it turned out that out of 37 students, 6 smokers. I found out that they smoke one pack of cigarettes a day and thereby receive 1.52 Gy, the same as a person receives if they take 200 x-rays.

The maximum permissible dose of total radiation is 0.05 gray per year. /5 rad. If a person receives 2 Gy/200 rad, radiation sickness is observed, a dose of 7-8 Gy means death.

Radiation is truly deadly. At large doses, it causes severe tissue damage, and at small doses it can cause cancer and induce genetic defects that may appear in the children and grandchildren of the person exposed to radiation, or in his more distant descendants.

But for the bulk of the population, the most dangerous sources of radiation are not the ones that are talked about the most. The highest dose a person receives is from natural sources of radiation

Conclusion.

Radiation is two-faced, but the more we know about it, the more benefits it will provide us for humanity.

Thus, radiation is around us and it is impossible to get rid of it. I just wanted our country to have more environmentally friendly products and materials, so that our country would be healthy and have a healthy generation.

Literature

O.I. Vasilenko. - “Radiation Ecology” – M.: Medicine, 2004. – 216 p.
The book systematically sets out the fundamentals of radiation ecology. The physical properties of ionizing radiation, their interaction with matter, various sources of radiation, radiation accidents at military and energy facilities, environmental pollution, medical and biological effects of radiation at various levels, regulation, protective measures, non-ionizing radiation, and the medical danger of the most significant radionuclides are described.

Hall E.J. - Radiation and life - M., Medicine, 1989.

Yarmonenko S.P. - Radiobiology of humans and animals - M., Higher School, 1988.

Workshop on nuclear physics - M., Moscow State University Publishing House, 1980. Shirokov Yu.M., Yudin N.P. - Nuclear Physics - M., SCIENCE, 1980.

We talked about what they look like today in one of our previous reviews - “70 years after hell. Photos of Hiroshima and Nagasaki - then and now."

But, if you think about it, in everyday life we ​​constantly encounter radiation in small doses. And this, in general, does not cause concern or fear to anyone. Along with the project, the editors of Anews offer a look at the most important sources of radiation that surround us almost constantly.

Scanners at airports

Over the past few years, many major airports have acquired security scanners. They differ from conventional metal detector frames in that they “create” a complete image of a person on the screen using Backscatter X-ray technology. In this case, the rays do not pass through - they are reflected. As a result, the passenger undergoing screening receives a small dose of X-ray radiation.

During scanning, objects of different densities are painted on the screen in different colors. For example, metal items will appear as a black spot.

There is another type of scanner, it uses millimeter waves. It is a transparent capsule with rotating antennas.

Unlike metal detector frames, such devices are considered more effective in searching for prohibited items. Manufacturers of scanners claim that they are absolutely safe for the health of passengers. However, large-scale studies on this matter have not yet been carried out in the world. Therefore, the opinions of experts are divided: some support the manufacturers, others believe that such devices still cause some harm.

For example, biochemist from the University of California David Agard believes that an X-ray scanner is still harmful. According to the scientist, a person undergoing inspection on this device receives 20 times more radiation than stated by the manufacturers.

By the way, in 2011, Gennady Onishchenko, who at that time held the post of chief sanitary doctor of the Russian Federation, expressed concern about the use of such scanners by airports.

In his opinion, due to frequent “examinations” the passenger may develop health problems. In a year, the head of Rospotrebnadzor clarified, you can go through the scanner no more than 20 times.

“It’s better to undress in front of a policeman,” the head of Rospotrebnadzor said then.

X-ray

Another source of so-called “household radiation” is x-ray examination. For example, one photograph of a tooth produces from 1 to 5 μSv (microsievert is a unit of measurement for the effective dose of ionizing radiation). And a chest X-ray is from 30-300 μSv.

A radiation dose of approximately 1 sievert is considered lethal.

By the way, according to the aforementioned Gennady Onishchenko, 27 percent of all radiation that a person receives during his life comes from medical examinations.

Cigarettes

In 2008, there was active talk in the world that, in addition to other “harmful things,” tobacco also contained the toxic agent polonium-210.

According to the World Health Organization, the toxic properties of this radioactive element are much higher than those of any known cyanide. According to the management of the British American Tobacco company, a moderate smoker (no more than 1 pack per day) receives only 1/5 of the daily dose of the isotope.

Bananas and other food

Some natural foods contain the naturally occurring radioactive isotope carbon-14 as well as potassium-40. These include potatoes, beans, sunflower seeds, nuts, and also bananas.

By the way, potassium-40, according to scientists, has the longest half-life - more than a billion years. Another interesting point: in the “body” of an average-sized banana, about 15 acts of decomposition of potassium-40 occur every second. In this regard, the scientific world even came up with a comic value called “banana equivalent.” This is how they began to call the radiation dose comparable to eating one banana.

It is worth noting that bananas, despite their potassium-40 content, do not pose any danger to human health. By the way, every year a person receives a radiation dose of about 400 μSv through food and water.

Air travel and space radiation

Radiation from space is partially blocked by the Earth's atmosphere. The further into the sky, the higher the radiation level. This is why when traveling by plane a person receives a slightly higher dose. On average it is 5 μSv per hour of flight. At the same time, experts do not recommend flying more than 72 hours a month.

Actually, one of the main sources is the Earth. Radiation occurs due to radioactive substances contained in the soil, in particular uranium and thorium. The average background radiation is about 480 μSv per year. However, in some regions, for example, in the Indian state of Kerala, it is much higher due to the impressive thorium content in the soil.

What about mobile phones and WI-FI routers?

Contrary to popular belief, there is no “radiation threat” from these devices. The same cannot be said about cathode ray tube televisions and the same computer monitors (yes, they are still available). But even in this case, the radiation dose is negligible. In a year, only up to 10 μSv can be obtained from such a device.

The dose of radiation received by a person from natural and “household” sources is considered safe for the body. Experts believe that radiation accumulated over a lifetime should not exceed 700,000 μSv. According to Lev Rozhdestvensky, head of the laboratory of radiation pharmacology of the A. I. Burnazyan Medical Biophysical Center, over a 70-year life a person receives on average up to 20 rads (200,000 μSv).