Radioactive fall-out

Throughout the world comprehensive investigations on quantities of radioactive fall-out took place. Because most of these registrations were carried out by military authorities only few of the results have been published. Investigations started to find out how to prevent or diminish the injurious effects. For example, other compounds were added to the soil to reduce the uptake of radioactive elements in plants. The results from this type of investigations were published to a greater extent. 

In radioecology, transfer factors for relevant radionuclides in various systems (e.g. soil —> plant, plant —> animal, plant —> man, animal —> man) have been determined. These transfer factors are used for the assessment of radiation doses received by animals or man due to the presence of natural radionuclides or of radioactive fall-out. 

Average equivalent dose rates due to artificial radiation sources are listed in Table 22.9. These dose rates originate from application of X rays and radionuchdes for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, from various radiation sources applied in daily life and from radioactive fall-out. 

Radioactive fall-out Radionuclides, in particular fission products and actinides, deposited from the air... 

The Black Sea coastal region of Turkey is an unfortunate area as it also received an appreciable dose of radioactive fall-out after the Chernobyl accident. After this accident almost a whole years crops (mainly nuts and tea leaves) had to be collected and destroyed. So this barrels story was only an additional incident to the misfortune in that part of the country. In both of these almost concurrent occurrences, the Black Sea coast pec le in Turkey suffered economically, ecologically, socially and perhaps paid with their health for the mistakes of others. Such incidents may happen to any nation or community anytime, perhaps even with more drastic end-results. This shows that the scientists and politicians of the wwld must work together to stop illegitimate transport of dangerous chemicals, and minimize risks of accidents which may create environmental disasters with transboundary transport possibilities. 

Gorham, E. (1958). Accumulation of radioactive fall-out by plants in the English Lake District. Nature London) 181, 1523-1524. 

USE OF POTASSIUM IODIDE TO MINIMIZE THYROID RADIATION FROM RADIOACTIVE FALL-OUT... 

TU any of the less-understood phenomena leading to the observed fall-out distribution resulting from a nuclear explosion occur on a relatively short time scale (a few tens of seconds or less). These short term phenomena lead to an initial distribution of radioactive material referred to as the source term in a fallout study. Many predictive calculations are based on an assumed source term, which of necessity has been quite oversimplified. Two typical simplifications made for purposes of model development are (1) that the radiochemical composition of fallout is well defined and uniform (2) that the particles comprising the initial debris are uniform with respect to settling rate in the atmosphere. The latter assumption has received considerable attention elsewhere, notably in the work of Miller (2). However, the former assumption concerning the radiochemical uniformity of the debris has received far less systematic attention. 

The prevailing winds carried fall-out from Chernobyl towards Scandinavia. In Sweden, caesium-137 built up in lichen which is the food eaten by reindeer. This gave rise to radioactive meat. 

Most patent medicines claimed to work miracles, but ultimately did nothing to heal people, and in some cases caused actual harm, as was the case with Pittsburgh millionaire and industrialist Eben Byers. In 1928, Mr. Byers injured himself at a post-game party following the annual Yale-Harvard football game. On the advice of his physician, Byers drank three half-ounce bottles per day of a patent medicine called Radithor to ease his pain and overcome his injury. He continued this treatment for two years, but stopped abruptly when his teeth started falling out. Though the manufacturer claimed that Radithor was harmless in every respect, the concoction contained radium, a radioactive element, that not only caused Byers loss of teeth but also ate away the bones of his jaw and skull. It caused his death in 1931. 

Radioactive elements and isotopes can also be harmful. A person exposed to too much radioactivity can develop radiation sickness. Their hair can fall out and they can become very ill. 

The sun is not commonly considered a star and few would think of stars as nuclear reactors. Yet, that is the way it is, and even our own world is made out of the fall-out from stars that blew up and spewed radioactive debris into the nascent solar system. 

The amount of 90Sr in dust is very small, and it is only a very small fraction of the total concentration of strontium (both radioactive and stable) in air. Very small dust particles of 90Sr in the air fall out of the air onto surface water, plant surfaces, and soil either by themselves or when rain or snow falls. These particles of 90Sr eventually end up back in the soil or in the bottoms of lakes, rivers, and ponds, where they stay and mix with strontium (both radioactive and stable) that is already there. 

Radioactive aerosols (particularly aerosols of fission products) which fall out from smoke containing radioactive gaseous products and enter nutritional chains. 

In order to relate the emissions of radioactivity from nuclear power installations or the accumulation of radioactivity in the body from fall-out to a resulting dose to the population, the ICRP has introduced the committed dose concept (equival t or effective), S... 

F. Thyroid cancer after radioactive iodine fall-out ... 

Radiation is dangerous It is dangerous to handle radioactive substances, or get too close to them without protection. Radiation in tiny amounts will not harm you. But small doses can lead to leukaemia and other cancers. Large doses cause radiation sickness— you vomit, and feel tired, you lose your appetite, your gums bleed, your hair falls out and you eventually die. Very high doses will burn skin black and cause death within minutes. 

Schubert, R, and U. Behrend. 1987. Investigations of radioactive particles from the Chernobyl fall-out. Radiochimica Acta. 41 149-155. 

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