Radiation protection

Radioactivity and radiation

Radiation protection, also known as radiological protection, is the science and practice of protecting people and the environment from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation is widely used in industry and medicine, and can present a significant health hazard by causing microscopic damage to living tissue.

Sources of radiation

Radiation can come from a variety of sources, including nuclear power plants, medical procedures, and natural background radiation. It can also be produced by man-made sources such as nuclear weapons and industrial processes.

Effects of radiation

Exposure to ionizing radiation can lead to radiation sickness, cancer, and genetic damage. The severity of these effects is dependent on the dose and type of radiation, as well as the individual's susceptibility.

Principles of radiation protection

Radiation protection is based on three fundamental principles: justification, optimization, and dose limitation. Justification means that any decision that alters the radiation exposure situation should do more good than harm. Optimization means that the likelihood of incurring exposures, the number of people exposed, and the magnitude of their individual doses should all be kept as low as reasonably achievable. Dose limitation means that the dose to any individual from regulated sources in planned exposure situations other than medical exposure of patients should not exceed the appropriate limits.

Radiation protection measures

Radiation protection measures include the use of lead aprons in medical and dental settings, radiation monitoring badges for workers in certain industries, and radiation shielding in nuclear power plants.

See also

• Health physics
• Radiation therapy
• Radiation Protection Dosimetry
• Radiation Protection (journal)

References

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