Low-level radiation

Kondo S. 1993. Health effects of low-level radiation. Kinki University Press, Osaka, Japan (available from Medical Physics Publishing, Madison, Wisconsin). 

Pohl, E., F. Steinhausler, W. Hofmann, and J. Pohl-Ruling, Methodology of Measurements and Statistical Evaluation of Radiation Burden to Various Population Groups From All Internal and External Natural Sources, in Proceedings of Biological and Environmental Effects of Low-Level Radiation, International Atomic Energy Agency), Vol.II, pp. 305-315, Vienna, Austria (1976). 

Binder, R. Nowotny, W. Schmidt, N.0. Bianchi, P.P.W. van Buul, A.T. Natarajan, L. Fabry, A. Leonard, M. KucerovA, D.C. Lloyd, U. Mukherjee, G. Obe, F. Palitti, and T. Sharma, Comparison of Dose Dependence of Chromosome Aberrations in Peripheral Lymphocytes at Low Levels of Acute in Vitro Irradiation With 250 kV X-Rays and 14 MeV Neutrons, in Proceedings of the International Symposium on Biological Effects of Low-Level Radiation in Venice, pp. 171-184 International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria (1983). 

U.S. Department of Energy, G. M. Matanoski (director of the study), Health Effects of Low-Level Radiation in Shipyard Workers (Report no. DOE DE-AC02-79 EV 100995) (Washington, D.C. Department of Energy, 1991), see tables 5.6B and 5.6D. 

On this matter, there is some excuse for the media because the scientific community is still split on the issue of application of the LNT to low-level radiation risks. But as evidence accumulates, I believe there is a good chance that scientific opinions will soon consolidate in rejecting the LNT. When that happens, I hope the media will decide that a good headline would be mo st radiation found be harmless. That should attract the public attention they so crave. 

B. L. Cohen, The Cancer Risk From Low-Level Radiation, Am. J. Roentgen, (in press). 

The Florida Institute of Phosphate Research (FIPR) has studied phosphogypsum utilization at length, but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has prohibited its movement from its stacks (piles) because of its low level radiation. The FIPR hopes to show that its use in road building subsurfaces and as an additive to enhance digestion of municipal waste in landfills can be accomplished without harm to the public now or in the future.25 26... 

ClarkR. 1999. Control of low-level radiation exposure time for a change J Radiol Prot 19(2) 107-115. 

Cancer is the major effect of low radiation doses expected from exposure to radioactive contamination. Laboratory studies have shown that a-, /S-, and y-radiation can produce cancer in virtually every tissue type and organ in animals that have been studied (ATSDR, 2001). Cancers observed in humans after exposure to radioactive contamination or ionizing radiation include cancers of the lungs, female breast, bone, thyroid, and skin. Different kinds of cancers have different latency periods leukemia can appear within 2yr after exposure, while cancers of the breast, lungs, stomach, and thyroid have latency periods greater than 20 yr. Besides cancer, there is little evidence of other human health effects from low-level radiation exposure (ATSDR, 2001 Harley, 2001). 

Ultra-pure materials are needed for the constmction of the next generation of ultra-low level radiation detectors. These detectors are used for environmental research as well as rare nuclear decay experiments, e.g. probing the effective mass and character of the neutrino. Unfortunately, radioactive isotopes are found in most construction materials, either primordial isotopes, activation/spallation products from cosmic-ray exposure, or surface deposition of dust or radon progeny. 

A wealth of new information about radiation exposure over the past decade prompted the revision of the BSS. First and foremost, a study of the biological effects of radiation doses received by the survivors of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki suggested that exposure to low-level radiation was more likely to cause harm than previously estimated. Other developments—notably the nuclear accident at Three Mile Island in 1979 and that at Chernobyl in 1986, with its unprecedented transboundary contamination—had a profound effect on the public perception of the potential danger from radiation exposure. There were serious accidents with radiation sources used in medicine and industry in Mexico, Brazil, El Salvador and other countries. In addition, more has been discovered about natural radiation—such as household radon—as a cause of concern for health. Finally, natural radiation exposures of workers such as miners, who were not thought of as radiation workers, were discovered to be much higher than had been realised. 

Between 1948 and 1950 a trio of physicists, George Gamow (1904-68), Ralph Alpher (1921- ), and Robert Herman (1914-97), worked out a detailed mathematical analysis of this "fossil radiation" and determined that its temperature would he about 5 K (about 2.72 degrees above absolute zero), a very cold temperature indeed, hut not zero That prediction made possible another experimental test of the big hang. The challenge was to search the skies to see if low-level radiation of this temperature could he found. 

Table 3-L Guidance Low Level Radiation Operational Exposure 3-27...

C. This directive will outline policy and procedures for ACE force protection against Low Level Radiation. Wherever applicable, the policy will reference current NATO Standardization Agreements, Allied Tactical Publications, and ACE Directives and will follow NATO concepts and doctrine. 

Prior to the survey and subsequent operations in the area, the Theater Commander must determine what risk he is willing to subject his soldiers to as part of the operation. The Theater Commander will use the enclosed Low Level Radiation Operational Exposure Guidance (Annex A). The Theater Commander shall issue Operational Exposure Guidance designating a maximum Radiological Exposure State (RES) for all individuals that must perform the mission. This RES shall be developed in consultation with those staff specialists listed in section 3.15.6. During Operations Other Than War, the theater commander is limited... 

Reference The NATO limits were proposed by Dr. Ludwig Schanzler of WIS-ABC-Schutz, Munster on 5 March, 1997 for WG.2 on Low Level Radiation in Military Operations. Other references include Reg Guide 8.21 and Reg Guide 8.23. 

LLR - Low Level Radiation Lymphadenitis - Inflammation of lymph nodes. 

However, the concepts of statistics and threshold limits introduce a dehumanization by which individual case studies can be ignored and put out of mind. The controversy over the effects of low-level and not-so-low-level radiation is a well-documented example, which is still largely unresolved. (As an aside, petals of the spiderwort can be used to detect low-level radiation. They will change color in about... 

The phoswich detector is used for the detection of low-level radiation in the presence of considerable background. It consists of two different scintillators coupled together and mounted on a single photomultiplier tube. By utilizing the difference in the decay constants of the two phosphors, differentiation between events taking place in the two detectors is possible. The combination of crystals used depends on the types of particles present in the radiation field under investigation. ... 

Low level radiation reduces number of viable bacteria. High level inactivates. 

The creation of our world occurred in intense radiation Helds and, consequently, we have inherited an Earth drenched in radiation from cosmic sources and the minerals in the groimd (Ch. S, 10 and 17). Though the intensity of these radiation sources is much smaller than produced by human techniques, no human can avoid these natural sources. Therefore, the effects of the natural radiation background has become an important health issue, particularly radon levels in houses. Closely related to this problem is the effects of man-made sources of similarly low levels, such as the storage of nuclear waste. Much research is presently devoted to the effects of low-level radiation. 

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