Biological effects of ionizing radiation

U.S. radiation protection guidelines are estabHshed by the National CouncH on Radiation Protection and Measurement (NCRP) and are based on the recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). The National Research CouncH also sponsors a report from its advisory committee on the biological effects of ionizing radiations (20). 

N.uional Research Council, 1972, The Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiations, National Academy of Sciences. 

The chemistry, and hence hazards, of hot, or radioactive, elements parallels that of their cold isotopes. However, the radiation poses additional toxicity hazards. A qualitative classification of selected isotopes in terms of their toxicity is given in Table 10.2. The biological effects of ionizing radiation stem mainly from damage to individual cells following ionization of the water content. Oxidizing species, e.g. hydrogen peroxide. 

BEIRIII. 1980. The effects on populations of exposure to low levels of ionizing radiation. Committee on the Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiations, National Research Council. Washington, DC National Academy Press. 

US-National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council BEIR-II Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation, Washington, D.C., USA (1972). 

One of the most sensitive biological effects of ionizing radiation is to increase the frequency of normally observed chromosome aberrations (but not to induce qualitatively special abnormalities). Peripheral blood lymphocytes are the most feasible cells for chromosome investigations, as blood samples are easy to obtain and the techniques to stimulate the lymphocytes to proliferate within a culture medium and to prepare suitable chromosome slides for microscopic analyzation have their routine protocoil (e. g. Yunis, 1965 Lloyd et al, 1982). 

Pohl-Ruling, J., P. Fischer, and E. Pohl, The Low-Level Shape of Dose Response for Chromosome Aberrations, in Proceedings of the International Symposium of Late Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation (International Atomic Energy Agency) pp. 315-326, Vienna, Austria, (1978). 

Chemical and biological effects of ionizing radiation are thought to occur through two main mechanisms direct interaction of the radiation with food components and living cells in materials exposed to it, and indirect action from radiolytic products, such as the radicals formed from water molecules (see Chap. 12). 

NAS/NRC (1990). National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council Committee on the Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiations. Health Effects of Exposure to Low Levels of Ionizing Radiation, BEIR V (National Acad emy Press, Washington). 

Albert, R.E., Burns, F.J., and Shore, R.E. (1978). Comparison of the incidence and time patterns of radiation-induced skin cancer in humans and rats, page 49 in Late Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation, lAEA-SM-224/105, (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna). 

Luick, J. R. and Mazrimas, J, A. 1966. Biological effects of ionizing radiation on milk synthesis. III. Effects on milk lipase, esterase, alkaline phosphatase, and lactoper-oxidase activities. J. Dairy Sci. 49, 1500-1504. 

Larsen PR, Conard RA, Knudsen K. Thyroid hypofunction appearing as a delayed manifestation of accidental exposure to radioactive fallout in a Marshallese population. In Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation 1. Vienna International Atomic Energy Agency, 1978 101. 

Stehney AF, Lucas HF, Rowland RE. 1978. Survival times of women radium dial workers first exposed before 1930. In Late biological effects of ionizing radiation. Vol. I. Vienna, Austria International Atomic Energy Agency, 333-351. 

Three more National Research Council committees (the first, second, and third Committees on the Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiations—BEIR I, II, and III) issued reports in 1972, 1977, and 1980.301-303 They emphasized risk estimation, rather than recommendation of standards. There also has been discussion of carcinogenicity as a low-dose, delayed effect. The United Nations, through its Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, has continued to produce periodic encyclopedic reviews of the literature.1+68-473... 

---