The effects of exposure to nuclear radiation
The effects of exposure to nuclear radiation vary depending on the strength of the dose received and the time span over which the dose is received. Exposure to high doses of radiation is always fatal to humans.
Radiation exists all around us and we are all exposed to radiation from a variety of sources throughout our lives. We have evolved to be able to cope with this background radiation as long as it is below a certain level. When we start getting exposed to higher levels of radiation, our bodies are unable to cope and we can develop a number of disorders which can lead to death. For example, excessive exposure to radiation from the sun which may occur when sunbathing without adequate protection is now thought to be the cause of a significant rise in the number of skin cancers, especially melanomas.
Radiation is very much a silent enemy because we are totally unaware of any damage being caused until that damage becomes visible in some form, by which time it is often too late for successful treatment. Often the presence of excessive radiation is only discovered after an unusual spike in the numbers of not-so-common diseases within a particular geographical area. An example of this happening is when a spike in cancer numbers in a particular town led scientists to investigate and discover higher than normal levels of radon gas in homes.
Radon gas is radioactive and comes from the breakdown of uranium in the earth’s surface. It is now recognized as a significant health hazard in the developed world and the US Environmental Protection Agency reckons that over 20,000 citizens die each year from lung cancer caused by inhalation of radon gas. This gas occurs naturally in the soil and would normally dissolve harmlessly into the atmosphere, but modern homes act as traps for the gas leading to higher concentrations which is where the problem lies.
While we have evolved to cope with background radiation within normal boundaries there is ample evidence to suggest that the radiation level does not have to increase by a large amount before it becomes a health problem for humans. Levels are increased by human activity such as nuclear power generation and disposal of nuclear waste, nuclear weapons testing, and the application of radiation in medicine and science. Exposure to normal ranges from perhaps one of these sources may not be significant but cumulative exposure would undoubtedly be serious.
One of the biggest problems in establishing accurate figures relating to the health problems associated with exposure to nuclear radiation is that it is almost impossible to categorically associate illness in an individual with a particular source of nuclear radiation. The nuclear industry has a formidable record in defending itself against lawsuits for criminal negligence and numerous independent inquiries into nuclear safety have felt unable to conclude that the activities of the nuclear power companies have resulted in an increase in background radiation in a given area. In many areas it can be empirically shown that the incidence of leukemia, for example, rose significantly when the nuclear plant opened and this has to be more than just coincidence.
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