: those who are "very worried", he advised to "watch football and drink beer." He added that ruthenium-106 "is not a carcinogen."

However, the project "Mail.ru Health" (just in case) decided to remember what radiation is dangerous and how to protect yourself from it.

How radiation works and how it kills

In the process of decay of radioactive isotopes, the atomic nucleus emits various particles, while releasing a huge amount of energy. In the stream of radioactive radiation, neutrons, alpha and beta particles, gamma rays can be present. Many of them can pass through the body, damaging cells.

To estimate the damage caused to the body by radioactive radiation, units of measurement called sievert are used. The longer the exposure to radiation, the greater the dose of radiation absorbed by the body in sieverts. Most often, the level of radiation exposure is measured in millisieverts (one thousandth of a sievert, mSv).

On average, a person receives a dose of about 3.1 mSv... About the same amount falls on medical diagnostic procedures (X-ray examination,), as well as on other artificial sources of radiation.

As for the lethal dose of radiation, the amount is very different for different people and depends on many different factors. According to experts, according to the websiteCNN, about every second person will die within a month after receiving a dose of 3500 to 5000 mSv, and the duration of exposure should be from several minutes to several hours. Thus, the liquidators of the Chernobyl accident, who developed acute radiation sickness, received doses ranging from 800 to 16,000 mSv.

It has been proven that a high level of radiation, more than 500 mSv per year, increases the risk of various types of cancer - leukemia, multiple myeloma, breast, bladder, intestines, liver, lungs, esophagus, ovaries, stomach. At the same time, there is evidence that a relatively low dose, less than 100 mSv year, increases the risk of cancer, no.

Pixabay.com/CC 0

How to protect yourself from radiation

H on the website of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted: radiation is invisible, it has no taste or smell, it cannot be felt, therefore, without special equipment, you will not be able to understand whether you have become a victim of radioactive contamination or not.

Infection can be external, when radioactive materials in the form of dust or liquid contaminate the skin, hair, clothing, and internal, when these substances in one way or another enter the body and destroy it from the inside.

• First, it is necessary to minimize the time spent under the influence of radioactive radiation as much as possible.
• Secondly, it should be remembered that the dose decreases with distance from the radiation source.
• If an accident occurs near you, you need to find shelter. Lead, concrete or water are well protected from penetration of the most dangerous for humans gamma and X-rays. Therefore, for example, hiding behind a concrete wall, you can significantly reduce the dose of radiation.

In general, in an extreme situation involving a radioactive hazard, it is necessary to follow three rules of behavior: hide in a shelter, stay there until the danger has passed, and strictly follow the instructions of emergency response specialists.

To reduce the risk of both types of contamination, remove the top layer of clothing as soon as you enter the shelter. Put these clothes in a plastic bag and put it away somewhere, ideally, put it out on the street.

It is important that any cuts or abrasions on exposed skin areas, if any, are sealed with tape before removing and putting away potentially contaminated clothing. This will help prevent the penetration of radioactive materials into the body.

Depositphotos.com

Then wash thoroughly all exposed skin with soap and warm water. At the same time, try to ensure that the water washed off from them does not fall on those areas that were under clothing and, presumably, were protected from radiation.

Tips in the event of radiation emissions are known: you need to close the windows of the house tightly, glue them, and walk down the street in respirators. But first of all, it is necessary for the civil defense emergency notification system to work. If you hide such things, it can lead to serious consequences.

Kalman Tseitin

Advisor to the General Director of FSUE "Radon", Honored Ecologist of Russia

According to Rashid Alimov, Project Manager of the Energy Department of Greenpeace, everything depends on the specific situation: which element was released and in what volumes. “It is necessary to follow the instructions and orders of the authorities, which may issue various recommendations, starting with the fact that you need to close the windows tightly, wear respirators, drink solutions, and ending with the fact that evacuation and resettlement from the contaminated area is required,” he explained.

For daily monitoring of radiation pollution, you can, according to Alimov, use household dosimeters, but they have a short range and they "feel" the natural background radiation of 5-20 micro-roentgens per hour. With large-scale contamination, professional measurement methods are needed.

“So far there is very little information - but we can definitely say that the release was of a technogenic nature, since ruthenium-106 is a technogenic radionuclide that does not exist in nature. In our opinion, the Prosecutor General's Office should now deal with this, - Rashid Alimov told Health Mail.Ru. As for this pollution, there is still no necessary data in order to talk about its scale. Judging by the data of Roshydromet, emissions were recorded at certain posts in the Urals, the North Caucasus and Tatarstan, ”he said.

Kalman Tseitin clarified that the concentration of ruthenium in the air of Chelyabinsk can be dangerous only in those areas where the emission itself occurred.

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The series "Chernobyl" caused lively discussion and conflicting reviews. However, this did not prevent him from becoming the best in the world according to IMDb at the moment.

Editorial staff site I also watched the series, and we still have questions about one of its "main characters" - radiation. We tried to understand this complex phenomenon and tell in simple language how radiation affects us in everyday life.

1. What is the danger of radiation?

Natural background radiation is constant on Earth. Some unstable particles originated in the crucible of the Big Bang, and their half-lives are comparable to the age of the Universe. Added to this is ionizing radiation from space. But on a normal scale, it is not dangerous to humans.

A completely different picture develops during atomic bombings or man-made disasters with powerful emissions of ionizing particles. The energy generated during the fission of radioactive nuclei "knocks out" electrons from the atoms of cells, which leads to disruption of their functions. This is how radiation sickness arises.

2. How is radiation sickness manifested? How to treat it?

The first signs of the disease - nausea, vomiting, disorientation - occur when radioactive particles enter the body through the skin, with inhaled air or with food. Therefore, the main task of doctors at the first stage of treatment is to remove active particles using droppers and washing. With high doses of irradiation, an acute form of the disease develops, mainly the hematopoietic system suffers. In this case, blood transfusions and bone marrow transplants are used.

Particular damage to the body is inflicted in the event of damage to both DNA strands. It can no longer recover correctly, filling the free space with random nucleotides. This leads to tissue degeneration and the formation of tumors. The consequences can manifest themselves over a long time. Breakdowns in the chromosomes of germ cells are inherited and lead to mutations in subsequent generations.

3. How to protect yourself from radiation?

Deactivation occurs in two ways. Radioactive particles are removed mechanically - with a jet of water using brushes and other means. In addition, solutions are used that wash away particles that have penetrated deep into the materials.

There are other methods of deactivation, such as the use of electrolytes, ultrasound or laser. But they are less common due to the complexity of their application in large facilities.

5. Is it possible to drink iodine as a preventive measure?

The heroes of the series take iodine tablets to protect the endocrine system from radioactive effects. Some isotopes can be incorporated into the metabolism. Unstable iodine-131 is able to accumulate in the thyroid gland, replacing the "normal" element.

With iodine deficiency, the thyroid gland will accumulate any type of iodine indiscriminately. Therefore, it is so important to fill it with a stable element. However, drinking the substance for preventive purposes is not only meaningless, but also dangerous. This can provoke thyroid disease.

6. Where is natural radiation strongest?

Everything is simple here: the closer to the Sun, the more radiation. Only a small part of the cosmic radiation reaches the Earth's surface. But the higher we rise into the sky, the greater the dose we receive. Residents of equatorial latitudes are more susceptible to the impact than those whose homes are closer to the poles.

Aviation workers are exposed to more radiation per year than nuclear power plant workers. And the seamen on nuclear submarines are least susceptible to it: the water column protects them from terrestrial radiation, and the nuclear installation is reliably protected by lead walls.

Radiation awaits not only on the street - buildings irradiate us even more. The fact is that sand and gravel contain natural radionuclides. Don't panic. In the construction of residential premises, it is allowed to use only safe materials with the lowest radiation level, this process is regulated by law.

7. Is the food also unsafe?

When radioactive particles got into food after the Chernobyl explosion, they were certainly dangerous. However, in everyday life we ​​are surrounded by products containing natural radiation. And sometimes its level is quite high.

The most common bananas, which are considered healthy due to their high potassium content, contain an isotope of this element, potassium-40. And there is so much of it that the background created by the exported batches of bananas triggers sensors at the borders of states. Because of this property of the product, nuclear workers use the term "banana equivalent" to denote leaks of small doses of radiation.

Banana lovers should not be upset: food grown on land with normal radiation background is considered safe. All in all, we get lead to latent defects. Therefore, the German robot shown in the series immediately went out of order, not having time to leave on a mission.

But the helicopters did not fall from radiation. The episode shown in "Chernobyl" is unreliable. The tragedy really happened, only not in the first days after the disaster, but six months later, on October 2, 1986. During the liquidation work, the helicopter commander did not see the cable on the construction crane standing next to the power unit and caught it with a blade.

Have you seen the series "Chernobyl"? What questions did you still have after watching?

Shots, explosions, movement of military equipment are not heard here. An invisible danger awaits man, animals behind every bush. Among the meadows filled with flowers, berries, mushrooms. The name of the phenomenon is radiation. Mysterious rays coming from radioactive elements during decay do not allow the use of a terrible zone with radioactive contamination for human life. They can quickly and imperceptibly destroy the body and worsen health.

What is radiation

The discovery of radioactivity is associated with the work of the German scientist Nobel Prize laureate in physics Wilhelm Roentgen, French physicist Becquerel... Researchers studied the structure of the atom, the processes taking place inside the chemical elements. The term radioactivity, denoting the transformation of nuclei into other nuclei, accompanied by radiation, was introduced By Marie Curie... When certain elements, called radionuclides, different particles appear, differing in energy storage. The stream of such particles was called radiation.

Every day a person is faced with the action of radioactive radiation formed in natural conditions from the elements that make up the structure of the earth. Water, air, soil contain about 60 types of substances that create a natural background of ionizing radiation. For example, radon, formed in the soil, in deep artesian wells, rocks. It is considered an important source of harmful radiation. Beams from space that create dangerous levels of radiation at high altitudes. The maximum percentage of radiation comes from human sources. These are diagnostics with modern medical equipment, systems for obtaining nuclear energy, testing of destructive weapons. From the point of view of occurrence of cases of exposure to harmful radiation, the following options exist:

1. Planned, strictly regulated exposure during the diagnosis of diseases on medical equipment.
2. Exposure to known sources of naturally occurring radiation. For example, in housing, at workplaces due to the use of specific building materials, special devices, background radiation of the environment. Special control and protection measures are always provided.
3. Impact in the event of emergencies in nuclear disasters, ill-directed actions that cause radioactive contamination of the area. Thanks to such events, a warning sign appeared on our planet: hazardous area, radiation.

The terrible phenomenon of our time is created due to the deposition of radioactive chemical elements from the nuclear mushroom, which appears as a result of rash activities, human errors. A large area for many years has become a dangerous zone of radioactive contamination of the area. The formation of the composition of radioactive contamination occurs due to the presence of alpha, beta, gamma rays. A dangerous cloud is carried by the wind over long distances. At first (20 hours after the explosion), the bulk of the radioactive compounds falls out of it. The degree of infection, the scale depends on the weather, the landscape, the force of the explosion. It is customary to distinguish zones of radioactive contamination by the amount of radiation generated. Moderate(denoted by in blue), strong(green color), dangerous(Red color), extremely strong radioactive contamination indicated by an ominous black ... The characteristics of the zones of radioactive contamination are determined by the quantitative value of the radiation level. In the first zone of radioactive charging, after the explosion, it is 8 R / hour... After 10 hours, the level drops to 0.5 R / hour... The radiation values ​​of the second zone increase by 10 times... In the third zone, radiation is recorded immediately after the explosion. 240 R / hour... In the fourth zone, the amount of radioactive contamination of the environment becomes equal to 4000 R / hour.

The following radioactive elements appear in the contaminated area:

1. Iodine-131... It emits beta, gamma rays, the most dangerous for living beings. The half-life is 8 days. Causes cell death, mutation. The main concentration occurs in the thyroid gland.
2. Strontium-90... The half-life is 29 years. Dangerous for bone tissue. It gets into the environment during accidents at nuclear power plants, nuclear explosions of modern weapons.
3. Cesium-137... An element with a half-life of 30 years is considered the main component of radioactive contamination of the environment.

Cobalt (half-life about 6 years), americium-241, living 433 years, fill the radioactive zone that exists next to humans. The property of radioactive elements is the creation of energy rays that penetrate to different depths. They have different effects on living cells. Alpha radiation is trapped by a simple sheet of paper, without penetrating the human skin. It will bring harm only when the radioactive substances emitting them get inside the body. This happens through open wounds, with food, water, air. Beta radiation is more penetrating. Depending on energy reserves, it travels to a depth of about 10 cm. The most terrible gamma radiation, propagating at the speed of light, can only be delayed by powerful concrete walls and lead.

The accidents at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the Japanese Fukushima station, and nuclear weapons tests in the cities of Japan are considered serious disasters that led to severe radioactive contamination of the environment. Landfill near Semipalatinsk, leakage of radioactive waste in the Chelyabinsk region, secret test sites in America and Korea. Some accidents became public knowledge over the years. It seems that there are secret areas with the danger of radioactive contamination even now. Prohibitory signs defining the death zone were placed everywhere. They did not always solve the safety issues of the local population.

The consequences of radioactive contamination affect human health in the most severe cases of consequences. Burns of the skin, radiation exposure, destruction of bones, a change in the composition of the blood occurs when the radiation exceeds the permissible level. At the same time, low doses received from radioactive elements increase the risk of various diseases, for example, cancer. The dose received by the body is usually classified according to the physical quantity of measurement, called Sievert. It is an effective unit of measurement for assessing the strength of ionizing radiation in terms of the amount of harm done. The absolute value of the sievert is great. In practice, used millisievert (mSv), microsievert (μSv).

The physical meaning of the action of radiation consists in the implementation of the following phenomena:

1. Electrical interaction with tissues... In a very short period of time for radiation to pass through organs and tissues of a person, it provokes the ionization of atoms, destroying living cells.
2. Physicochemical reactions... An ionized atom, a free electron that appears, cannot be in a new state for a long time. Their participation in the chain of chemical reactions leads to the formation of new molecules of compounds harmful to the body, for example, "free radicals".
3. Chemical processes... The emerging "free radicals" interfere with the normal functioning of living cells, modifying them. The processes take place within millionths of a second.
4. Biological changes... They appear immediately or after years, gradually disrupting important processes in any human organ.

International requirements for protection against radiation in 1990, as well as normative documents NRB-96 (1996) stipulate the following dose values:

1. Radiation values ​​of 1.5 Sv (150 rem) received throughout the year or with short-term exposure to a dose of 0.5 Sv (50 rem) can create harmful effects.
2. Radiation sickness develops after a dose of 1–2 Sv (100–200 rem) has been absorbed. Having received more than 6 Sv, the human condition is characterized by the fatal fourth degree of the disease.
3. Natural radioactive radiation has a value corresponding to 0.05 to 0.2 μSv / h, i.e. from 0.44 to 1.75 mSv per year. During medical diagnostics, a person receives 1.4 mSv per year.

• The element, discovered in the forefront of radioactive substances, by the Curies, is called radium, which means "emitting, emitting rays."
• A smoker receives a dose of radiation per year from 250 x-ray pictures.
• Brazil nuts are considered the most radioactive product. The roots of the trees reach deep layers of the earth, containing radioactive potassium. For humans, the dose is not dangerous.
• In the contaminated area of ​​Chernobyl, a special type of living organisms has appeared, developing in an atmosphere of radiation.
• The unknown effect of radiation on human health at the beginning of the 20th century gave birth to a fashion for the manufacture of numerous items containing radioactive elements. Cosmetics, cigarettes, water, food, dishes, watch dials contained hazardous substances. Radium was even added to toothpaste and soap.

The amazing discoveries of physicists were realized in projects, technologies that are not always safe. The whole world must closely follow their progress.

The Japanese authorities said that on Tuesday, March 24, the level of radiation at the Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant for a short period of time rose to a level at which it can harm human health.

All residents of settlements within a radius of 20 km from the nuclear power plant were ordered to immediately leave this zone. Those who live at a distance of 20 to 30 km from the station were advised not to leave their homes and to isolate their homes to reduce the risk of contaminated air entering them.

Experts say that these actions, if taken immediately, can reduce any negative impact on the human body to a minimum.

What are the first consequences of exposure to radioactive radiation on human health?

Doses of absorbed radiation are measured in grays (one gray is equal to one joule of energy per kilogram of the mass of the irradiated substance).

A radiation dose of more than one gray is considered moderate, but even at such a dose, symptoms of radiation sickness appear.

In the first hours after exposure, nausea and vomiting often begin, followed by diarrhea, headaches and fever. These symptoms disappear after a while, but new and more serious symptoms may appear within a few weeks.

At higher radiation doses, symptoms of radiation sickness can appear immediately, along with multiple and potentially fatal internal injuries. Radiation doses of 4 Gy are fatal to about half of healthy adults.

For comparison, in the treatment of cancerous tumors with radiotherapy, patients receive several doses from 1 Gy to 7 Gy, however, with radiotherapy, the effect is on strictly limited areas of the body.

Different tissues of the body react differently to radioactive radiation. The average effect on biological tissues is measured in sievert, one sievert is the amount of energy absorbed by a kilogram of biological tissue, equal in effect to 1 Gy.

Radiation doses (millisieverts per year, unless otherwise noted) and effect

2 - average background radiation (in Australia, on average, 1.5 mSv, in North America - 3 mSv);

9 - radiation exposure to which the crew of the New York-Tokyo flight across the North Pole is exposed;

20 - the average limit for workers in the nuclear power industry;

50 is the former radiation norm for nuclear workers. Also found naturally in parts of Iran, India and Europe;

100 - the threshold from which an increase in the incidence of cancer is clearly noticeable;

350 mSv during life - the threshold for resettlement of people after the Chernobyl accident;

A single dose of 1000 mSv - causes short-term (non-fatal) radiation sickness with nausea and a decrease in the content of leukocytes in the blood. The severity of the disease increases with the dose:

A single dose of 5000 mSv - up to half of those who received such a dose of radiation die within a month.

How can radiation sickness be treated?

The first step is to limit the possibility of further infection by removing clothes and shoes. After that, you need to wash with soap and water.

There are drugs that increase the production of white blood cells; it helps in combating the effects of radiation on the bone marrow and reduces the risk of infections caused by a weakened immune system.

In addition, it is possible to use drugs to reduce the effects of radiation on the internal organs of a person.

How does radiation affect the human body?

Radioactive materials, which undergo spontaneous decay, emit ionizing radiation that can seriously damage internal processes in the human body. In particular, the chemical bonds between the molecules that make up human tissue are disrupted.

The body tries to restore these connections, but often the scale of the damage does not allow it to be done. In addition, errors can occur during the natural recovery process.

The cells of the stomach and gastrointestinal tract, as well as the cells of the bone marrow, which are responsible for the production of white blood cells, are most susceptible to radiation.

The damage to the body depends on the level and duration of exposure to radiation.

What are the long-term effects of exposure to radiation on the body?

The risk of cancer is the highest. Usually, the cells of the body simply die off, reaching their age limit. However, when cells lose this property and continue to multiply uncontrollably, cancer occurs.

A healthy body usually prevents cells from reaching this state. However, radiation exposure disrupts these processes, dramatically increasing the risk of developing cancer.

Exposure to radiation also leads to irreversible changes - mutations - of the genetic fund, which, in turn, can be passed on to future generations, causing defects and deviations from normal development: a decrease in the size of the brain and head, malformed eyes, stunted growth and learning difficulties.

Are children at greater risk?

Theoretically, yes, since the process of cell growth and reproduction is actively continuing in a young organism. Accordingly, the possibility of deviations from the norm increases in the event of a malfunction of the cells.

After the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, the World Health Organization recorded a sharp increase in the incidence of thyroid cancer in children who lived near the nuclear power plant.

The reason for this was the release of radioactive iodine, which accumulates in the thyroid gland.

How dangerous is the situation at the Fukushima NPP?

At the nuclear power plant itself, ionizing radiation of 400 millisieverts per hour was recorded.

According to the radiation specialist, professor at the University of Manchester Richard Wakeford, exposure to radiation of such power is unlikely to lead to the development of radiation sickness. For this, according to him, the radiation power must be twice as high.

However, even such radiation can slow down the formation of leukocytes in the bone marrow and increases the risk of developing cancer by 2-4%. The average risk of cancer in Japan is 20-25%.

At the same time, Professor Wakeford notes that only those who participated in emergency work at a nuclear reactor were exposed to such radiation exposure. In addition, in order to reduce the level of exposure, these workers could only be involved in work at the nuclear power plant for a short period of time.

The level of exposure of the population, including those who live near the nuclear power plant, was much less.

What can the Japanese authorities do to reduce negative health effects?

According to Professor Wakeford, with prompt and correct action by the authorities, the consequences of exposure to the population can be minimal.

The main task, according to Wakeford, should be to evacuate the population from the surrounding areas and prevent the consumption of foods that have been exposed to radiation. To reduce the risk of radioactive iodine accumulation in the thyroid gland, iodine tablets can be given to the population. In addition, the Japanese diet is rich in iodine, so this can also help combat the effects of radiation exposure.

Is it possible to compare the accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant with the Chernobyl disaster?

As Professor Jerry Thomas, who studied the consequences of the Chernobyl accident, said, what happened in Japan can hardly be compared with Chernobyl.

"An explosion occurred at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, as a result of which the reactor was completely destroyed, and a huge amount of radioactive substances got into the environment," says Jerry Thomas.

Professor Thomas emphasizes that the consequences of the Chernobyl accident were mainly observed among those who lived near the nuclear power plant and, mainly, among children.

The level of radiation release at the Japanese nuclear power plant "Fukushima" is 5% of Chernobyl.

"Chernobyl is a reactor explosion. There is no such thing in Japan. We had both the structure and the shell destroyed. There was no explosion."

Japanese radiation does not threaten Ukraine and Russia in any way.

In the same time:

Employees of the emergency Japanese nuclear power plant "Fukushima-1" were urgently evacuated because of a column of black smoke that rises above the third power unit.

The personnel were withdrawn only from the third and fourth power units. Meanwhile, the Associated Press writes that the evacuation affected the entire power plant.

The removal of employees from the territory of the nuclear power plant was the second in a day. The day before, the evacuation was carried out after white smoke began to rise over the third reactor. Later it was suggested that steam was mistaken for the smoke, but no confirmation of this information was received. Shortly after the incident, the personnel were returned to the site of the nuclear power plant. On Wednesday night, an earthquake of magnitude 6 was recorded near the station, but it did not lead to any destruction.

The death toll and missing persons during the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan exceeded 25 thousand people. According to the latest data from the Japanese police, 9,487 people became victims of the disaster.

Last edited: Mar 25, 2011

Considering that the radioactive cloud is already over Germany, you need to think about your safety and your loved ones. All iodine-containing preparations were sold in pharmacies in England, Germany, America. We also sell iodomarin in our pharmacies, which is recommended to drink. There is another option for using iodine - for a glass of milk 2-3 drops of regular pharmacy iodine one-time for an adult. For children, this dose is less, but the same is one-time. It is necessary to consult with doctors.

Fukushima targets bones and lungs

From the foundation of the Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant, radioactive water flows out with admixtures of iodine-131 and cesium, as well as, probably, with even more dangerous plutonium and even polonium. Contaminated water in the Pacific Ocean will evaporate and irradiate the lungs of people within a radius of 300 km.

The operator of Fukushima, TEPCO, continues to withhold information about the situation at the nuclear power plant. The foundation of the second reactor gave a leak and radioactive water flows into the waters of the Pacific Ocean. At first, they tried to track its flow with the help of dyes, tried in vain to fill the gap with polymer with sawdust and paper, and now they are going to simply dump 11.5 thousand tons of radioactive water into the sea to make room for an even more radioactive liquid. No one can explain to society what substances and in what quantities enter the Pacific Ocean. The penetration of radiation into the ocean will primarily result in the "aerosol effect".

Contaminated water, although the degree of its radioactivity is not clear, will evaporate into the air and, along with it, penetrate into the lungs of people, which will contribute to the development of cancer and burns of the lungs.
All living things within a radius of about 300 kilometers from the place of water contamination will inhale oxygen saturated with radiation.

Radionuclides can reach humans through the meat of Pacific fish and other animals. These substances, especially iodine, will be absorbed by plankton, together with it, settle to the bottom, where the plankton will already be eaten by fish. This will poison the fish.

It is curious that the consequences of the same radiation dose for humans and small inhabitants of the sea and land are different. For example, animals the size of a mouse need at least 6-8 sieverts for a dangerous dose of radiation, and the human body will suffer irreparable radiation damage of 4.5-5 sieverts. In 50% of cases for a person, such a dose is certain death.

The Japanese, preventing atomic explosions, flooded the reactors with water, and this led to the formation of salt scale in the reactor. Now these deposits work as heat conductors, due to which the temperature of the reactors rises to 1200 degrees. There is only one way out - to wait for a gradual cooling for several years, and to prevent radionuclides from spreading, it will be necessary to cover the station with a concrete sarcophagus, as was done after the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Experts fear that the third reactor of the Fukushima nuclear power plant may also leak. It contains a very dangerous substance - polonium. Even the smallest dose of it can poison thousands of people.

No less dangerous for the human body are other substances that, together with radioactive water, enter the world's oceans. In particular, iodine affects the thyroid gland, but decomposes in the atmosphere in eight days.

The situation is worse with cesium and strontium: they take about 30 years to half-life. But if cesium in the body settles in the muscles, from where it is quickly excreted, then strontium is deposited in the bones, where it remains forever.

Plutonium is even more destructive. Once in the lungs of a person, it leads to the appearance of a cancerous tumor. The half-life of plutonium will take 26 thousand years. Polonium needs 138 days to self-destruct, but during this time it manages to either kill cells or force them to mutate.

What is radiation? How dangerous is radiation?

Radiation is a form of energy that comes from a specific source and travels through space. Sources can range from sun, earth, rocks to cars.

The energy they generate is commonly referred to as ionization radiation. Ionizing radiation is formed by unstable atoms, which have both energy and mass in excess of stable atoms and can therefore be harmful.

Radiation can travel through space in the form of particles or waves. Particle radiation can be easily blocked by clothing, while wave radiation can be fatal and can also pass through concrete.

Radiation is measured with Geiger counters and in the form of Sievert (μSv).

How dangerous is radiation?

Each person receives a certain amount of radiation every day. Walking in the sun, getting an X-ray, going to a CT scan, going on a flight.

The problem is not radiation. The real issue is the amount of radiation or, in other words, the levels of radiation that a person receives.

A person receives an average of 10 µSv per day and 3,600 µSv per year. A normal 5-hour 30-minute flight gives a dose of 40 µSv, while X-rays give a dose of 100 µSv.

All of these indicated doses are acceptable for the human body, but anything above 100,000 μSv can lead to illness and even death.

The risk of cancer increases the moment a person passes the level of 100,000 µSv, and the level above 200,000 µSv is fatal.

Exposure to radiation

Radiation can damage the tissues of the human body, leading to burns, cancer and even death.

Even high levels of sun exposure can cause sunburn as UV rays are a form of radiation.

A deeper note: Radiation weakens or destroys the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of the human body, causing imbalances in cells.

The imbalance then increases the damage to cells or kills them to such an extent that this process creates life-threatening diseases such as cancer.

Children easily develop high levels of radiation because their cells are not strong enough to withstand the radiation threat.

Accidents in the past, when radiation levels crossed the dreaded 200,000 µSv, noted, for example, in, and, led to infant mortality and cancer.

What is alpha radiation and what is its danger?

Alpha radiation, also known as alpha decay, is a kind of radioactive rot in which a nuclear core discharges an alpha molecule and thus changes with a mass number that decreases by four and a nuclear number that decreases by two.

Alpha radiation is difficult to detect and measure. Even the most common devices, such as the CD V-700, are not capable of detecting alpha particles until beta radiation is received along with it.

High-tech devices capable of measuring alpha radiation require a professional training program, otherwise the layman will not be able to figure it out.

Moreover, since alpha radiation does not penetrate, it cannot be detected or measured by any device, even through a sparse layer of water, blood, dust, paper, or other material.

There are two types of radiation: ionizing / non-ionizing and alpha radiation, which are classified as ionizing.

Ionizing is not as dangerous as non-ionizing because of the following reasons: alpha radiation cannot penetrate the skin, and materials with alpha emissions can only be harmful to humans if the materials are inhaled, swallowed, or penetrated through open wounds.

Otherwise, alpha radiation will not be able to penetrate the clothing.

What is beta radiation and what are its effects?

Beta radiation is radiation that occurs when radioactive decay begins to release radioactive particles.

It is non-ionizing radiation and travels in waves. Beta radiation is considered hazardous because it has the ability to penetrate any solid material such as walls.

Exposure to beta radiation can have long-term effects on the body, such as cell growth or cellular damage.

Since the effects of beta radiation are not immediate, and there is no real way to find out if the contact caused an attack, problems can appear after a few years.