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Summary of Biological Effect of Radiation :-

Radiation is all around us. It is in our environment and has been since the Earth was formed. As a result, life has evolved in the presence of significant levels of ionizing radiation. It comes from outer space (cosmic), the ground (terrestrial) and even from within our own bodies. It is in the air we breathe, the food we eat, the water we drink and the materials used to build our homes.

Some foods such as bananas and Brazil nuts naturally contain higher levels of radiation. Brick and stone homes have higher radiation levels than homes made of other materials such as wood. The U.S. Capitol, which is largely built of granite, contains more radiation than most homes. A lot of our exposure is due to radon, a gas from the Earth's crust that is present in the air we breathe.

This natural radiation that is always present is known as "background" radiation. Background levels can vary greatly from one location to the next. For example, Colorado, because of its altitude, has more cosmic radiation than the East or West Coast. It also has more terrestrial radiation from soils rich in naturally-occurring uranium. So people living in Colorado are exposed to more background radiation than residents of the coasts.

On average, a U.S. resident receives an annual radiation exposure from natural sources of about 310 millirem (3.1 millisieverts or mSv). Radon and thoron gases account for two-thirds of this exposure. Cosmic, terrestrial, and internal radiation account for the rest.

Man-made sources of radiation from medical, commercial and industrial activities contribute roughly 310 mrem more to our annual exposure. Among the largest of these sources is a computed tomography scan, which accounts for about 150 mrem. Other medical procedures make up another 150 mrem or so each year. Some consumer products such as tobacco, fertilizer, welding rods, exit signs, luminous watch dials and smoke detectors contribute about 10 mrem per year. The pie chart below shows the sources that make up the average annual U.S. radiation dose of 620 mrem.

Biological Effects of Radiation
  1. We tend to think of the effects of radiation in terms of how it impacts living cells. For low levels of exposure, the biological effects are so small they may not be detected. The body is able to repair damage from radiation, chemicals and other hazards. Living cells exposed to radiation could: repair themselves, leaving no damage;
  2. die and be replaced, much like millions of body cells do every day; or
  3. incorrectly repair themselves, resulting in a biophysical change.

The data on links between radiation exposure and cancer are mostly based on populations receiving high level exposures. Much of this information comes from survivors of the atomic bombs in Japan and people who have received radiation for medical tests and therapy. Cancers associated with high-dose exposure (greater than 50,000 mrem, or 500 mSv—500 times the NRC limit to the public) include leukemia, breast, bladder, colon, liver, lung, esophagus, ovarian, multiple myeloma and stomach cancers.

The time between radiation exposure and the detection of cancer is known as the latent period. This period can be many years. It is often not possible to tell exactly what causes any cancer. In fact, the National Cancer Institute says other chemical and physical hazards and lifestyle factors (e.g., smoking, alcohol consumption and diet) make a significant contribution to many of these same diseases.