Ionising radiation pollution

Question 1

3 uses of ionising radiation

Answer 1

-Sterilising male insect pests
-Nuclear fusion/fission
-Test rock porosity in oil and gas exploration

Question 2

2 issues with Risk: Benefit analysis

Answer 2

-Symptoms may take a long time to develop
-may be alternative causes to symptoms

Question 3

3 sources of ionising radiation

Answer 3

-Medical exposure , X rays
-occupational exposure , aircraft flight crews
-gamma rays from the lithosphere , different radioactive isotopes release different types of radiation

Question 4

2 effects of ionising radiation on living tissue

Answer 4

-Gonadic effects , damage to ovaries or testis
-Somatic effects , general body cells

Question 5

Exposure vs Contamination

Answer 5

-Exposure means the absorption of ionising radiation
-contamination refers to physically carrying radioactive materials which when they release radiation may cause exposure

Question 6

2 principle of exposure control

Answer 6

-ALARA , make exposure as low as reasonably possible
-BATNEEC , lowest exposure can be achieved by using best available technology not entailing excessive cost

Question 7

3 strategies to reduce exposure

Answer 7

-protective clothing
-Reduced period of exposure
-Increase distance from the source

Question 8

3 ways of monitoring radioactive materials

Answer 8

-personal dosemeters which give a reading of current exposure

-Critical pathway analysis , analysis make it possible to predict where discharge could cause problems , involves factors such as density , effluent physical properties and half lives of isotopes

-CGM , measures effects on those vulnerable , measurements include distance to the source , water and food source