VPE 511: Environment and Environmental Hygiene (2+1)

BIO SAFETY

Genetic damages

• Radiation causes mutations in the DNA thereby damaging the genes and chromosomes . This is often seen in children, affecting several generations.

Somatic Damage

• Radiation affects the body resulting in burns, miscarriage, eye cataract and cancer of bone, thyroid, breast , lungs and skin . Even small done of radiation over a period of time may cause adverse effects. Alpha particles have more energy than beta particles. So they are dangerous when entering into our body through inhalation or food.
• Beta particles penetrate our skin and damage internal organs.
• Radioisotopes with intermediate halflives require long time to enter our body. They enter environment during mining of Uranium.
• Radioactive Iodine (I-131) is accumulated in the thyroid gland causing cancer.
• Strontium- 90 causes cancer in the bone marrow or Leukaemia.
• Single body with dose of over 500 rems could result in death in 4 or 5 days.
• Delayed effects after 20 years-blood cancer (or) leukemia and other cancers. There is noe remedy available, once a person is exposed to radiation.