Finally, the Maharashtra Government wakes up to the threat of potential health risks posed by the radiofrequency (RF) radiation emitted by the mobile phone towers. The government has appointed a high-level committee of experts to look into the matter and recommend norms for erecting the towers. Radiation protection-dedicated blogs (http://radsafe.blogspot.com and http://icareforyou2007.blogspot.com) and the Mumbai Mirror have been continuously publishing posts/reports asking for regulation on the installation of towers and control on usage of mobile phones by children and others.
Research findings have shown that the radiation is harmful and internationally accepted standards are available for controlling the exposures (see www.radsafetyinfo.com).
It is a good move by the government and the ignorant public is waiting to see how the government tackles the strong lobby of telecom service providers who will oppose the government’s move at all costs.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
Nuclear energy and high safety standards
In Indian scenario, as on today, the safety status in nuclear power plants apparently looks good. The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, the regulator in India publishes detailed annual reports giving all the incidents occurred in the power plants and in other related facilities. Anyone can have access to these reports (www.aerb.gov.in).
However, the news papers keep on publishing insignificant and trivial occurrences, thus causing unnecessary doubts in the minds of a common man. For example: some depleted uranium pieces found with scrap dealer or tritium activity in water cooler at Kaiga, etc. etc. Depleted uranium is used as a shield material in industrial radiography cameras used for Non-Destructive Testing (NDT). Once scrapped, these high density spares are likely to find its way to the scrap dealers. The second incident of tritium must be a deliberate attempt by some staff member to create confusion in the plant. Tritium is the least toxic radioactive material and the limits on intake as tritiated water or as tritium gas are very high. These are some radiological incidents are NOT related to nuclear safety of the power plants and the safety record of the power plants continues to be very satisfactory.
May be, there is some need of enforcing the existing regulations strictly in the plants, and security provisions of the radioactive sources should be augmented in public domain since the sources in sealed form are used in industrial and medical therapy applications. Let us not ignore the immense benefit of radiation in comparison with small amount of risk of remotely possible incidents which are common, and much more in other industries.
However, the news papers keep on publishing insignificant and trivial occurrences, thus causing unnecessary doubts in the minds of a common man. For example: some depleted uranium pieces found with scrap dealer or tritium activity in water cooler at Kaiga, etc. etc. Depleted uranium is used as a shield material in industrial radiography cameras used for Non-Destructive Testing (NDT). Once scrapped, these high density spares are likely to find its way to the scrap dealers. The second incident of tritium must be a deliberate attempt by some staff member to create confusion in the plant. Tritium is the least toxic radioactive material and the limits on intake as tritiated water or as tritium gas are very high. These are some radiological incidents are NOT related to nuclear safety of the power plants and the safety record of the power plants continues to be very satisfactory.
May be, there is some need of enforcing the existing regulations strictly in the plants, and security provisions of the radioactive sources should be augmented in public domain since the sources in sealed form are used in industrial and medical therapy applications. Let us not ignore the immense benefit of radiation in comparison with small amount of risk of remotely possible incidents which are common, and much more in other industries.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Terahertz radiation (T rays)
Terahertz radiation band covers the electro-magnetic wavelength in the range between 0.1 and 1 mm in microwave region. It is non-ionizing type of radiation. The radiation can pass through clothing, paper, cardboard, wood, plastic and ceramics. It can also penetrate fog and clouds, but cannot penetrate metal or water. The rays are highly sensitive to material’s composition.
Recently, a linear accelerator was used to generate a strong beam of T rays. More recently, an electron storage ring used for producing powerful X-rays was used to produce high-power T rays. The high energy T rays can penetrate living cells, without damaging them (unlike X-rays).
The possible applications for T-rays range from basic research, such as studying the properties of superconductors, to medical imaging, and even security. It is expected that effects on tissues are thermal in nature, similar to RF radiation. Further studies need to be carried out to investigate the health effects of the T rays.
If it is safer than X-rays, it is expected to replace X-rays in various applications, particularly in mass screening and in security applications. Anything safer is better.
Recently, a linear accelerator was used to generate a strong beam of T rays. More recently, an electron storage ring used for producing powerful X-rays was used to produce high-power T rays. The high energy T rays can penetrate living cells, without damaging them (unlike X-rays).
The possible applications for T-rays range from basic research, such as studying the properties of superconductors, to medical imaging, and even security. It is expected that effects on tissues are thermal in nature, similar to RF radiation. Further studies need to be carried out to investigate the health effects of the T rays.
If it is safer than X-rays, it is expected to replace X-rays in various applications, particularly in mass screening and in security applications. Anything safer is better.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Nuclear Waste disposal
Radioactive waste disposal continues to be an emotional subject worldwide. The concern is more with the disposal of high-level waste which will remain radioactive for thousands of years. Thus, the issue of nuclear waste and methods of its disposal remain one of the most pressing problems facing the nuclear sector.
There are technical solutions for the waste disposal and they are certainly safe. Deep geological disposal is one of the viable options available for the purpose. There are international publications and guidelines available on the subject. However, what has been missing so far is a uniform, global approach to this issue at a level which is clearly understood by the clever public. Public acceptance is very important and somehow the authorities are not able to convince the educated and knowledgeable public about the safety and security of such technology in the long term. Private sector participation in nuclear sector and terrorist activity are the two new dimensions which should be addressed to convince the public.
The opinion is to have safety demonstration of such a technology and internationally harmonized regulations to control such activities. As part of its effort to tackle this issue, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) held this week in Cape Town, South Africa, an international workshop on the safety and licensing of radioactive waste disposal. More than 90 international experts participated in the one-day event. The outcome of the workshop is awaited.
There are technical solutions for the waste disposal and they are certainly safe. Deep geological disposal is one of the viable options available for the purpose. There are international publications and guidelines available on the subject. However, what has been missing so far is a uniform, global approach to this issue at a level which is clearly understood by the clever public. Public acceptance is very important and somehow the authorities are not able to convince the educated and knowledgeable public about the safety and security of such technology in the long term. Private sector participation in nuclear sector and terrorist activity are the two new dimensions which should be addressed to convince the public.
The opinion is to have safety demonstration of such a technology and internationally harmonized regulations to control such activities. As part of its effort to tackle this issue, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) held this week in Cape Town, South Africa, an international workshop on the safety and licensing of radioactive waste disposal. More than 90 international experts participated in the one-day event. The outcome of the workshop is awaited.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Mobile phone radiations & health effects
There have been many posts in this blog on the health concerns of indiscriminate use of mobile phones. Also, articles periodically appear on this issue which is of serious concern from public health considerations. The most recent ones appeared in an Indian news paper Mumbai Mirror. The reported study indicated that the radiation from the mobile phones weakened the bones by reducing the bone density. A decade-long investigation in UK, overseen by World Health Organization (WHO), says that heavy mobile users have higher risk (39% increase) of developing brain tumours later in life. Most of the health effects are of long-term nature and will be manifested only after a few years of usage.
In spite of all these, one fails to understand why the government authorities turning a blind eye to these concerns about the potential health effects, likely to be in catastrophic scale in the near future?
In spite of all these, one fails to understand why the government authorities turning a blind eye to these concerns about the potential health effects, likely to be in catastrophic scale in the near future?
Sunday, November 8, 2009
New Reference Computational Phantoms of the Adult Male and Female of the ICRP
In its recent recommendations (ICRP Publication 103: Recommendations of the ICRP. Annals of the ICRP 37(2-4)), ICRP adopted the new reference male and female computational phantoms, called RMCP and RFCP. These voxel phantoms will be used for the forthcoming update of organ dose conversion coefficients. The phantoms are based on medical image data of real persons and are consistent with the information given in ICRP Publication 89 (2002) on the reference anatomical and physiological parameters for both male and female subjects.
The reference voxel models are constructed after modifying the voxel models (Golem and Laura) of two individuals whose body height and weight resembled the reference data. The organ masses of both models were adjusted to the ICRP data on the Reference Adult Male and Reference Adult Female, without spoiling their realistic anatomy.
The numerical data representing the phantoms will be contained in electronic data storage medium (CD-ROM) that will accompany the upcoming publication. The phantoms' technical description is contained in a series of Annexes that form the larger part of the publication:
One of the aims of the report is to assist those who want to implement the phantoms for their own calculations.
The reference voxel models are constructed after modifying the voxel models (Golem and Laura) of two individuals whose body height and weight resembled the reference data. The organ masses of both models were adjusted to the ICRP data on the Reference Adult Male and Reference Adult Female, without spoiling their realistic anatomy.
The numerical data representing the phantoms will be contained in electronic data storage medium (CD-ROM) that will accompany the upcoming publication. The phantoms' technical description is contained in a series of Annexes that form the larger part of the publication:
One of the aims of the report is to assist those who want to implement the phantoms for their own calculations.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
ICRP Publication 98: Radiation safety aspects of brachytherapy for prostate cancer
It is now well known that radiation sources are implanted in the body to treat localized cancers such as prostate cancers. The radioactive sources used are Iodine-125 or Palladium-103. The application of the technique, known as brachytherapy, has been rapidly increasing all over the world in the last fifteen years. To date, it is estimated that globally more than 50,000 patients are treated this way every year. Although no accident or adverse effects involving the medical staff and/or members of the patient family have been reported so far, the brachytherapy technique raises a number of radiation safety issues which need specific recommendations from the expert body, International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP).
The available data show that, in the vast majority of cases, the dose to comforters and carers remains well below the 1 mSv/year limit. Only in rare case where the patient's partner is pregnant at the time of implantation may need specific precautions. Other related issues are: rare possibility of expulsion of the sources through the urine, the semen or the gastro-intestinal tract; incident/accident linked to the radioactive seed loss; cremation of bodies containing the sources; guidelines for the surgery of pelvic or abdominal regions of the patient; possible modifications of the semen due to the radiation exposure; a limited risk of genetic effects for the child fathered by the patient with the implantation; the possibility of triggering certain types of security radiation monitors; induction of the radiation-induced secondary tumors, etc.
The ICRP publication 93 (2006) provides specific recommendations on the above issues.
The available data show that, in the vast majority of cases, the dose to comforters and carers remains well below the 1 mSv/year limit. Only in rare case where the patient's partner is pregnant at the time of implantation may need specific precautions. Other related issues are: rare possibility of expulsion of the sources through the urine, the semen or the gastro-intestinal tract; incident/accident linked to the radioactive seed loss; cremation of bodies containing the sources; guidelines for the surgery of pelvic or abdominal regions of the patient; possible modifications of the semen due to the radiation exposure; a limited risk of genetic effects for the child fathered by the patient with the implantation; the possibility of triggering certain types of security radiation monitors; induction of the radiation-induced secondary tumors, etc.
The ICRP publication 93 (2006) provides specific recommendations on the above issues.
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