Office of Air and Radiation EPA-402-K-10-008

Office of Radiation and Indoor Air April 2012

Radiation: Facts, Risks

and Realities
Table of Contents

Introduction 1

What is Radiation? 2

Types of Radiation 3

Understanding Radiation Risks 6

Naturally Occurring (Background) Radiation 7

Man-Made Radiation 8

Radiation in Industry and Commerce 9

Exposure to Ionizing Radiation 11

Regulating Radiation Use 12

Suggested Reading 14
Introduction
While radiation is a term that most people have heard, the
basic facts about radiation are much less familiar. The U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for
advising the government on radiation hazards and
regulating certain sources of radioactivity in the
environment. This booklet provides basic facts about
radiation science, as well as information on the risks and
realities of radiation exposure.

1
 What is Radiation?
Radiation is energy. It can come from unstable atoms or it can be produced by
machines. Radiation travels from its source in the form of energy waves or
energized particles.

There are actually two kinds of radiation, and one is more energetic than the other. It
has so much energy it can knock electrons out of atoms, a process known as ionization.
This ionizing radiation can affect the atoms in living things, so it poses a health risk by
damaging tissue and DNA in genes. While there are other, less energetic, types of non-
ionizing radiation (including radio waves, microwaves—and visible light), this booklet is
about ionizing radiation.

In the late 1800s, Marie and Pierre Curie were among the first to study certain elements
that gave off radiation. They described these elements as radio-actif, the property
that is now called “radioactivity.” As scientists studied radioactivity more closely, they
discovered that radioactive atoms are naturally unstable. In order to become stable,
radioactive atoms emit particles and/or energy waves. This process came to be known
as radioactive decay. The major types of ionizing radiation emitted during radioactive
decay are alpha particles, beta particles and gamma rays. Other types, such as x-rays,
can occur naturally or be machine-produced.

Scientists have also learned that radiation sources are naturally all around us. Radiation
can come from as far away as outer space and from as near as the ground that you are
standing on. Because it is naturally all around us, we cannot eliminate radiation from our
environment. We can, however, reduce our health risks by controlling our exposure to it.

2
Types of Ionizing Radiation
Alpha Particles α
Some unstable atoms emit alpha particles (α).
Alpha particles are positively charged and made up
of two protons and two neutrons from the atom’s
nucleus, as shown in the illustration at the right.
Alpha particles come from the decay of the heaviest
radioactive elements, such as uranium, radium and polonium. Even though alpha
particles are very energetic, they are so heavy that they use up their energy over short
distances and are unable to travel very far from the atom.

The health effect from exposure to alpha particles depends greatly on how a person is
exposed. Alpha particles lack the energy to penetrate even the outer layer of skin, so
exposure to the outside of the body is not a major concern. Inside the body, however,
they can be very harmful. If alpha-emitters are inhaled, swallowed, or get into the body
through a cut, the alpha particles can damage sensitive living tissue. The way these
large, heavy particles cause damage makes them more dangerous than other types of
radiation. The ionizations they cause are very close together--they can release all their
energy in a few cells. This results in more severe damage to cells and DNA.

Beta Particles
Beta particles (β) are small, fast-moving particles with
a negative electrical charge that are emitted from an β
atom’s nucleus during radioactive decay. These
particles are emitted by certain unstable atoms such
as hydrogen-3 (tritium), carbon-14 and strontium-90.

Beta particles are more penetrating than alpha particles but are less damaging to living
tissue and DNA because the ionizations they produce are more widely spaced. They
travel farther in air than alpha particles, but can be stopped by a layer of clothing or
by a thin layer of a substance such as aluminum. Some beta particles are capable of
penetrating the skin and causing damage such as skin burns. However, as with alpha-
emitters, beta-emitters are most hazardous when they are inhaled or swallowed.

3
 Gamma Rays
Gamma rays (γ) are weightless packets of energy
called photons. Unlike alpha and beta particles, which
γ
have both energy and mass, gamma rays are pure
energy. Gamma rays are similar to visible light, but
have much higher energy. Gamma rays are often
emitted along with alpha or beta particles during
radioactive decay.

Gamma rays are a radiation hazard for the entire body. They can easily penetrate
barriers, such as skin and clothing that can stop alpha and beta particles. Gamma
rays have so much penetrating power that several inches of a dense material like lead
or even a few feet of concrete may be required to stop them. Gamma rays can pass
completely through the human body easily; as they pass through, they can cause
ionizations that damage tissue and DNA.

Penetrating Powers of Alpha Particles, Beta Particles, Gamma Rays and X-Rays

ALPHA Particles
Stopped by a sheet of
paper and cannot penetrate
the outer dead layer of skin

BETA Particles
Stopped by a layer of clothing
or by a thin sheet of a
substance such as aluminum

GAMMA Rays and X-Rays

Stopped by several feet of
concrete or a few inches
of lead

4
X-Rays
Because of their use in medicine, almost everybody has heard of x-rays. X-rays are
similar to gamma rays in that they are photons of pure energy. X-rays and gamma A CT scan uses multiple
x-rays to give doctors a three-
rays have the same basic properties but come from different parts of the atom.
dimensional image that they
X-rays are emitted from processes outside the nucleus, but gamma rays originate
can use to diagnose patients.
inside the nucleus. They also are generally lower in energy and, therefore, less
penetrating than gamma rays. X-rays can be produced naturally or artificially by
machines using electricity.

Literally thousands of x-ray machines are used daily in medicine. Computerized

tomography, commonly known as CT or CAT scans, uses special x-ray equipment
to make detailed images of bones and soft tissue in the body. Medical x-rays are
the single largest source of man-made radiation exposure. X-rays are also used in
industry for inspections and process controls.

5
 Understanding Radiation Risks
Radiation can damage living tissue by changing cell structure and damaging DNA.
The amount of damage depends upon the type of radiation, its energy and the total
amount of radiation absorbed. Also, some cells are more sensitive to radiation. Because
damage is at the cellular level, the effect from small or even moderate exposure may
not be noticeable. Most cellular damage is repaired. Some cells, however, may not
recover as well as others and could become cancerous. Radiation also can kill cells.

The most important risk from exposure to radiation is cancer. Much of our knowledge
about the risks from radiation is based on studies of more than 100,000 survivors of
the atomic bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, at the end of World War II. Other
studies of radiation industry workers and studies of people receiving large doses of
medical radiation also have been an important source of knowledge. Scientists learned
many things from these studies.

The most important are:

The higher the radiation dose, the greater the chance of developing cancer.
The chance of developing cancer, not the seriousness of the cancer, increases as
the radiation dose increases.
Cancers caused by radiation do not appear until years after the radiation exposure.
Some people are more likely to develop cancer from radiation exposure than others.

Radiation can damage health in ways other than cancer. It is less likely, but damage
to genetic material in reproductive cells can cause genetic mutations, which could be
passed on to future generations. Exposing a developing embryo or fetus to radiation
can increase the risk of birth defects.

Although such levels of exposure rarely happen, a person who is exposed to a large
amount of radiation all at one time could become sick or even die within hours or days.
This level of exposure would be rare and can happen only in extreme situations, such
as a serious nuclear accident or a nuclear attack.

6
 Determining Radiation Limits
Current science suggests there is some risk from any exposure to radiation. However,
it is very hard to tell whether a particular cancer was caused by very low doses of
radiation or by something else. While experts disagree over the exact definition and
effects of “low dose,” U.S. radiation protection standards are based on the premise that
any radiation exposure carries some risk.

e Annual Dose TOTAL AVERAGE ANNUAL DOES

g Background
tion) 311 mrem
Naturally Occurring (Background)
FROM MEDICAL PROCEDURES
300 mrem
Radiation
Radon Computed Tomography For more information
Radon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless radioactive gas that comes from the decay of
(CT Scans) about radon, its risks, and
radium, which is present in147 mrem
nearly all rocks and soils. Most of our exposure to what you can do to protect
naturally occurring radiation is from indoor radon. Since radon gas emits alpha yourself, or to obtain a free
particles, inhaling it can cause cancer. Radon can seep into buildings from the ground copy of EPA’s “A Citizen’s
through cracks and other openings
NuclearinMedicine
floors or walls. Accumulated radon in buildings Guide to Radon,” visit
can pose a health hazard. 77 mrem www.epa.gov/radon, call
the National Radon Hotline
at 1-800-SOS-RADON or
Radon causes an estimated 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year. The Surgeon contact your state’s
General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the radon office.
United States. Only smoking causes more
Surgical lung cancer deaths. A smoker living in a
Fluoroscopy
home with high radon levels
43has an especially high risk of lung cancer.
mrem

Radon in the air is measured in picocuries per liter (pCi/L). When radon levels reach 4
pCi/L or higher, the EPA and the U.S. Surgeon General recommend that homeowners
take action to reduce them.Xrays
It is estimated that nearly one in 15 American homes has
and Fluoroscopes
a radon level that should be
33reduced.
mrem The only way to find out about the radon level in
any home is to test for it.

Controlling the Risks from Radon Exposure

Testing for radon is easy. There are many kinds of low-cost, “do-it-yourself” radon test
kits available by phone, online and in many stores. It takes only a few minutes to set

7
 l Average Annual Dose TOTAL AVERAGE ANNUAL DOES
rrounding Background FROM MEDICAL PROCEDURES
ural Radiation) 311 mrem 300 mrem

halation up the kit and then send it Computed

in for analysis.Tomography
Homeowners can also hire a professional to
Thoron) do the testing. High radon (CT
levelsScans)
in a home can be reduced in a variety of ways. The
28 mrem preferred method is called147 mrem
an active soil depressurization system, which is basically a
vent pipe with a fan that vents radon (and other soil gases) from beneath the house.

m Space Radiation from the Ground Nuclear and from Space

Medicine
33 mrem 77 of
Radon is not the only source mrem
naturally occurring radiation. Some exposure to natural
radiation comes from other elements in Earth’s crust, such as thorium and potassium.
The radiation dose from these sources depends on the makeup of the soil and rocks in
the local area. Another natural source is cosmic (space) radiation. Earth is constantly
ngestion exposed to radiation created by processes
Surgical occurring in the sun, other stars and in
Fluoroscopy
diation in outer space. 43 mrem
d Water)
29 mrem Exposure to cosmic radiation depends largely on elevation. Exposure increases as
you rise farther above sea level to where the atmosphere is thinner. For example,
rrestrial people who live in Denver,Xrays
Colorado,
andwhich is more than 5,000 feet above sea level,
Fluoroscopes
and Soil) are exposed to more cosmic
33radiation
mrem than people living in Chicago, Illinois, which is
Dose
21 mrem TOTAL AVERAGE ANNUAL DOES
approximately 700 feet above sea level.
und FROM MEDICAL PROCEDURES
mrem 300 mrem
Man-Made Radiation
Radiation
Computed in Tomography
Medicine
(CT nearly
Today, Scans) half of the exposure of the U.S. population to radiation comes from
147 mrem
medical sources according to the National Council on Radiation Protection and
Measurements (NCRP). Most medical exposure comes from the use of standard x-rays
and CT scans to diagnose injuries and diseases in patients. Drugs with radioactive
Nuclear
material Medicine
attached, known as radiopharmaceuticals, also are used to diagnose some
77 mrem
diseases. These procedures are an important tool to help doctors save lives through
quick and accurate diagnoses.

Also, other procedures, such as radiation therapy, use radiation to treat patients.
Surgical
One-third Fluoroscopy
of all successful cancer treatments involve radiation. Carefully targeted
43 mrem
radiation beams and certain radiopharmaceuticals destroy cancerous cells while limiting
damage to nearby healthy cells.

8 Xrays and Fluoroscopes

33 mrem
Controlling the Risks of Medical Radiation
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
and other federal and state agencies issue regulations and guidelines to ensure that
technicians and equipment meet standards for minimizing radiation exposure. When
prescribed appropriately, the benefits of medical radiation outweigh the risks.

Radiation in Industry and Commerce

Nuclear Power
Nuclear power reactors, which use uranium as fuel, supply the United States with about
20 percent of its electricity. Nuclear power plant operations are tightly controlled, making
nuclear energy responsible for only a very small part of the public’s overall exposure
to radiation.

Industrial and Commercial Uses of Radiation

Industries use radiation in a variety of ways. For example, industrial radiography uses
x-rays to check for weak points in metal parts and welds before products are sold. Other
examples of the use of radiation in industry include irradiators (machines used to kill
bacteria and other pathogens in food and other items), devices that test the density of
highway and construction materials, research reactors, and security screening at airports
and shipping ports.

9
 Controlling the Risks from Nuclear Materials in Industry
and Commerce
Several agencies regulate the use of radioactive materials in industry. NRC and
authorized state radiation programs issue licenses to companies to use radioactive
materials and require special safety measures for their use, storage and disposal.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issues regulations and
standards to help protect workers from unsafe handling of radioactive material or
equipment that creates radiation such as x-ray machines.

In the event of an emergency involving radioactive material, state and local

governments have the first responsibility for protecting the public and the environment.
Several federal agencies would respond as well, including EPA; NRC; and the
Departments of Homeland Security, Energy, Agriculture, and Health and Human
Services. In addition, U.S. nuclear power plants and the communities that surround
them must have emergency plans for protecting the public from radiation exposure in
the event of an accidental release of radioactive material into the environment.

Radioactive Waste
Any activity that produces or uses radioactive material generates radioactive waste.
Examples include: nuclear power generation, defense weapons production, nuclear
medicine, mining, oil and gas production and scientific research. Depending on the
material it contains, this waste can remain radioactive for periods ranging from a few
days to billions of years.

10
Controlling Radioactive Waste
Radioactive wastes must be managed and disposed of properly. Federal agencies
and some states control the risks that come with radioactive waste by setting limits
and regulations that disposal facilities must follow. EPA is responsible for setting
environmental standards that are used by other federal and state agencies in
regulations for the disposal of radioactive waste.

Exposure to Ionizing Radiation

In 2009 the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP)
published a study of the U.S. population’s exposure to radiation. The chart below shows
sources that contributed to an annual average dose of 620 millirem (6.2 millisieverts)
per person (millirem and millisievert are units of radiation dose). This is a national
average: individual exposures will vary depending on factors such as altitude (space),
local soils (radon and thoron), and the number of nuclear medicine procedures or
x-rays received.

Space
(background)
Internal (5%)
(background)
(5%)
Radon & thoron
Terrestrial (background)
(background) (37%)
(3%)

Sources of Radiation Exposure

From: NCRP Report No. 160
Computed
tomography Reprinted with permission of the National
(medical) Council on Radiation Protection and
(24%) Measurements, http://NCRPonline.org

Industrial (< 0.1%)

Occupational (< 0.1%)
Consumer (2%)

Nuclear medicine Conventional

(medical) (12%) radiography/fluoroscopy
Interventional (medical) (5%)
fluoroscopy
(medical) (7%)
11
 Regulating Radiation Use
States
The states have agencies responsible for regulating the use of radiation and for
responding to radiation questions and problems. State agencies are the best, first
source of information about radiation issues. States also regulate the use of x-ray
machines. Some also are responsible for regulating other sources of radiation within the
state on behalf of federal agencies such as the NRC.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

EPA issues standards and guidelines to limit human exposure to radiation. EPA works
directly with the public and industry, the states, and other government agencies to
inform people about radiation’s risks and to promote actions that reduce human
exposure. EPA measures environmental levels of radiation and assesses radiation’s
effects on people and the environment.

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

NRC develops regulations based on EPA’s standards for protecting the public from
radiation. NRC regulates the civilian uses of nuclear materials in the United States
by licensing facilities that possess, use, or dispose of nuclear materials; establishing
standards; and inspecting licensed facilities. NRC regulates nuclear power plants and
other users of nuclear materials, including hospitals, educational institutions, research
institutions, and industrial equipment such as gauges and testing equipment.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

DHS has the primary responsibility for ensuring that emergency response professionals
are prepared to respond to a terrorist attack, natural disaster or other large-scale
emergency. DHS coordinates the comprehensive federal response to any large-scale
crisis and mounts a recovery effort. Additionally, DHS educates citizens about preparing
themselves, their families, and their homes for major emergencies.

12
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
The HHS Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Devices and
Radiological Health establishes safety standards for x-ray machines and other
radiation-producing devices.

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

DOE is responsible for the development of the disposal system for spent nuclear fuel
from the nation’s civilian nuclear power plants. This activity is fully funded by a tax
paid by the users of nuclear-generated electricity. DOE is also responsible for the
management and disposal of nuclear waste and other radioactive materials associated
with nuclear weapons production at federally owned facilities. DOE is cooperating with
state governments and private industry in working to clean up its present and former
nuclear sites. DOE provides technical advice and assistance to states and the private
sector in the management and disposal of low-level radioactive waste.

U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)

While the DOE is responsible for the safe handling of radioactive material at defense
production facilities, the DOD is responsible for the safe handling and storage of nuclear
weapons in its custody and for other military uses of nuclear energy.

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)

The DOT, in cooperation with the NRC and the states, governs the packaging
and transport of radioactive materials. The DOT also regulates carriers of
radioactive materials.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

OSHA, a division of the U.S. Department of Labor, develops and enforces radiation
protection regulations to protect workers not covered by other agencies.

13
 Suggested Reading
Explore “RadTown” at www.epa.gov/radtown. RadTown is an interactive, virtual
community. Each place in RadTown helps you learn about radiation sources or
radiation-treated items you might find there.

The following books and websites provide more information on the health effects of
radiation exposure.

Basic Information
Cember, H. Introduction to Health Physics. 4th ed., McGraw-Hill Medical, 2008.

“Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors, Inc.” 2011. Conference of

Radiation Control Program Directors. www.crcpd.org

“Health Physics Society.” 2011. Health Physics Society. www.hps.org

Martin, A. and Harbison, S.A., An Introduction to Radiation Protection. 3rd ed.,

London: Chapman and Hall, 1987.

“Radiation Protection.” 2011. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

www.epa.gov/radiation

Shapiro, J. Radiation Protection. 4th ed., Harvard University Press, 2002.

Turner, J.F. Atoms, Radiation, and Radiation Protection 3rd ed. Wiley, 2007.

Advanced Reading
Health Risks from Exposure to Low Levels of Ionizing Radiation: BEIR VII Phase 2
The National Academies Press, Washington, DC, 2006.

Ionizing Radiation Exposure of the Population of the United States (NCRP

Report No. 160): National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, 2009.

14
For additional radiation information, please visit our website: www.epa.gov/radiation