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How to convert sieverts to roentgens

A person is not able to use his senses to determine the presence of environment radioactive substances and harmful radiation. For this purpose, various models of dosimeters and radiometers are used.

The operation of such devices is based on a Geiger counter - a gas-filled capacitor that reacts to the ingress of ionizing particles into it. A special program processes the data received from the Geiger counter and converts it into human-readable readings. Most modern devices provide the user with values ​​in μR/h, mSv/h, mR/h, μSv/h. Accordingly, the question often arises of how to convert Sieverts to Roentgens and determine the degree of danger to human health and life from dosimeter readings.

What are Roentgen and Sievert?

The sievert is the SI unit of measurement of equivalent and effective doses of ionizing radiation. In fact, this is the amount of energy that was absorbed by 1 kg of biological tissue. In the literature, Russian and international designations “Sv” or “Sv” are used.

X-ray is a unit of measurement of exposure dose to radioactive radiation from gamma or x-rays, which is determined by their ionizing effect on dry air. To designate the unit, the commonly used Russian and international designations “P” or “R” are used.

How is the conversion of Roentgens to Sieverts carried out?

1 X-ray, just like 1 Zivert is a very large value. In everyday life it is easier to use parts per million or thousandths (micro-roentgen and microsievert, and those(also milliroentgen and millisievert).

Let's write it down for clarity:

• 1 Roentgen = 0.01 Sievert;
• 100 Roentgen = 1 Sievert;
• 1 Roentgen = 1000 milliroentgen;
• 1 milliroentgen = 1000 microroentgen;
• 1 microroentgen = 0.000001 Roentgen;
• 1 microsievert = 100 microroentgen.

Now let’s look at an example of how to convert Sieverts to Roentgens:

• normal background radiation is 0.20 μSv/h or 20 μR/h;
• sanitary standard 0.30 μSv/h or 30 μR/h;
• upper limit of permissible dose rate 0.50 μSv/h or 50 μR/h;
• the natural background in a big city such as Kyiv is 0.12 μSv/h, which is equal to 12 μR/h.

Basic methods of protection in case of radiation poisoning:
1. Isolation of people from exposure to radiation.
Protective properties of buildings, structures, shelters, anti-radiation shelters:
attenuation coefficient (how many times less): K >1000 - major bomb shelter; K donkey = 50-400 - basement; K = 5 - in a trench >1 meter deep; Kosl = 2 - wooden house, car.
2. Respiratory protection.
3. Sealing of residential premises.
4. Protect food and water.
5. Use of radioprotective drugs, refusal to drink fresh milk.
6. Strict adherence to radiation protection regimes.
7. Disinfection and sanitary treatment.
8. Evacuation of the population to safe areas.

Respirators are 75-85% effective, depending on how tightly the mask fits to the face. Light two- to four-layer gauze dressings (“petals”) have a lower percentage. Reliable respiratory protection will reduce the risk of internal exposure from radioactive dust. General-arms filter gas masks - additionally purify the inhaled air from smoke, fog of toxic substances and bacterial aerosols. On civilian models of gas masks, the color of the box of the filter element that protects against rad particles, including iodine, is Orange, the text marking of the filter type is Reaktor.

Clothing - hooded, waterproof, such as a raincoat. If you don’t have one, you can put a homemade film raincoat made of polyethylene on top. This will protect from settling radioactive dust and, to some extent, from beta burn. Hard gamma radiation (propagates straight from the source) - no clothing can stop it.

Diagnosis and treatment of radiation sickness

“Acute radiation sickness” (ARS) occurs as a result of exposure of the body to radiation in a dose of more than 1 Gray (the value for short-term exposure to radiation). At lower values, a “radiation reaction” is possible.

Chronic radiation sickness (CRS) - develops as a result of prolonged exposure of the body to doses of 0.1-0.5 centigrays (~1-5 millisieverts) per day with a total dose exceeding 0.7-1 Gy (~700-1000 mSv) .

Gamma rays and fast neutrons have the greatest penetrating power. Alpha and beta radiation cause burns to the skin, mucous membranes, internal organs and tissues (if isotopes get inside, with inhaled air, food and water). During the accident at the Japanese nuclear power plant Fukushima, in the first days, the main radioactivity was from iodine-131 (more than 50%) and cesium-137.

Penetrating radiation affects tissues and organs of the body. The most sensitive cells are rapidly dividing: bone marrow, intestines and skin. More stability- in liver, kidney and heart cells.

With very large amounts of radiation, hundreds and thousands of roentgens per hour, a person sees the glow of a radioactive source, feels the heat and heat emanating from it and feels, close to him, the pungent smell of ozone in highly ionized air (like after a thunderstorm). Using the example of an accident at Chernobyl nuclear power plant- in a reactor destroyed by an explosion, shining at tens of thousands of Roentgen, electronic equipment on semiconductor crystals could fail, break down and stop working (due to erasing data from memory cells - ROM and RAM, degradation n-p transitions in transistors and microcircuits, damage to the computer's central processor and camera matrix), the film instantly becomes overexposed and even quartz glass darkens. Ordinary, household dosimeters-radiometers are off scale (only a device, such as the old, antediluvian military model DP-5, will show at least something, up to a level of 200 Roentgen). With such radiation power, with a rapid (in a matter of minutes and hours) build-up of a lethal dose of 5-10 Gray, people develop symptoms caused by strong radiation: severe weakness and headache, nausea and vomiting. Body temperature may increase. As a result of severe radiation burns, skin hyperemia (redness or bronze tan) and injection of scleral vessels (red whites of the eyes) appear.

All persons whose total dose (according to the primary response criteria) is 4 Gy or more are immediately hospitalized.

The exact dose of radiation received by a person is determined by readings from radiation sensors (individual dosimeters) with clarification from blood tests and other clinical indicators.

Treatment should be carried out in specialized clinics, followed by regular cancer examinations. X-ray studies (including fluorography) are excluded if possible.

First aid kit with "radiation antidote"

The World Health Organization (WHO) warns against the uncontrolled and rampant use of iodine preparations following the accidents at the Japanese Fukushima nuclear power plant. WHO experts emphasize that potassium iodide and other iodine-containing products from the pharmacy are not universal “radiation antidotes”... They do not protect against any other radioactive substances except radioactive isotopes of iodine. In addition, it is possible to develop serious complications from taking these drugs, for example, in people with chronic renal failure. There is no universal “cure for radiation” yet.

In the prevention and treatment of radiation injuries, “decontamination agents” used to remove radioactive substances from the surface of the body and from environmental objects are of great importance.

Radioprotectors (various groups of radiation damage modifiers, produced in the form of tablets, powders and solutions) - are introduced into the body in advance, before irradiation. Anti-radiation agents also include phenolic compounds of food and medicinal plants (tangerine, sea buckthorn, hawthorn, motherwort, immortelle, licorice) and bee propolis. “Miraculous”, effective drugs with a wide spectrum of action, stubbornly not recognized by official medicine, include - ASD-2 fraction (veterinary antiseptic Dorogov stimulant, produced by the Armavir biofactory, or deodorized from Moscow) ...

To relieve symptoms of intoxication from chemo-radiation therapy and accelerate the onset of remission, Taktivin and other immunocorrectors and immunomodulators are used.

In case of radiation damage to the skin (nuclear tanning), infusions/decoctions of chestnut or walnut leaves in sunflower or amaranth oil are useful for its treatment. Nut butter - can also help with normal sunburn any degree, regenerating damaged tissue.

Fruit and berry drinks (juices, fruit drinks, alcohol - red wine), as well as fruits and some vegetables - increase metabolism and the removal of radionuclides from the body. The damaging effect on tissue of penetrating radiation is reduced by vegetable oil (regular, sunflower, or better yet, nut, sea buckthorn or olive oil) or taking vitamin E in advance, before irradiation. Hypoxia (with infrequent breathing or low oxygen content in the inhaled air) also affects free radicals in the blood, which is necessary at the time of irradiation and for several hours after. When processing food and water with a constant magnetic field (magnet), with induction, in the magnetization working zone, about 50-400 millitesla (500-4000 Gauss) - the therapeutic and health-improving effect is enhanced due to improved water-salt metabolism (salt solubility increases) and the composition of body fluids (blood, lymph and intercellular fluid). The magnetization effect remains at an effective level for several hours after treatment.

Biologically active points (BAP) to accelerate the removal of radiation

Acupuncture points to cleanse the body of radionuclides and improve metabolism: V49 on the back, in the lumbar region (i-she, normalizes the functioning of the heart, kidneys and adrenal glands), E21 on the stomach on the right (liang-men) and foot points - V40 (wei-zhong), R8 (jiao-xin), E36 (zu-san-li). Rubbing, massage of all joints and the base of the neck (easier, especially where there are lymphatic vessels and nodes) - cleansing bone tissue of radioactive isotopes and heavy metals. Bio-energy meridians must be cleaned (improving the nervous system, hematopoietic organs, cleaning blood and lymphatic vessels).

Permanent light compositions (SLPs)

From the beginning of the last century, the twentieth century until the 60s, radium paint glowing in the dark (the effect of radioluminescence of the light composition, based on the reaction of 226Ra with copper and zinc) was applied to the dials and hands of wall and wrist clocks, alarm clocks, and was also used for phosphor coating of jewelry, souvenirs and even children's toys and Christmas tree decorations. Radium-226 was widely used in military equipment, in compasses and weapon sights - on airplanes, ships and submarines.

The level of radioactive radiation in the immediate vicinity of the luminous surfaces of these antique antiques could reach large values ​​- hundreds (for some specimens - thousands) microroentgens per hour (since, in addition to alpha particles, the 226Ra isotope also emits gamma rays with the energy 0.2 MeV), and approaches background values ​​- at a distance of 1-2 meters from the source (the effect of scattering gamma rays with low energy). The usual color of luminous radium paint is yellowish or cream. The brightness of the glow, a year or two after application, noticeably decreases (zinc sulphide gradually decomposes, “burns out,” but the radiation remains, because the half-life of 226Ra is long, more than one and a half thousand years, with a bad bouquet of “daughter” isotopes) . Radium226, by chemical structure, is an analogue of calcium and when its molecules enter the human body, it can accumulate in the bones, causing internal irradiation of the body.

Until the 1930s, when in Europe they realized the dangers and consequences of exposure to strong radiation on human health, long-lived isotopes were added there to food, cosmetics and hygiene products. Due to the very high price of radium, the scale and scope of its use for civilian purposes were limited.

In modern industrial safe (if the seal of the device is not broken) permanent light compositions (SPD) with short-range sources of radioactive radiation, a mixture of radiothorium (alpha particles) and mesothorium or tritium / promethium-147 (pure beta) phosphor is used.

Radiation dose accumulates in the body in the form of irreversible changes in tissues and organs (especially intensively when high levels penetrating radiation and receiving large doses from it) and radionuclides settling in bones and tissues, causing internal irradiation (radioactive cesium-137 and strontium-90 have a half-life of about 30 years, iodine-131 - 8 days).

A level that can have a noticeable harmful effect on human health is more than 10 millisieverts per day.

Having received a radiation dose of 5 sieverts for several hours in a row, a person can die within a few weeks.

Intervention levels: to begin temporary resettlement of the population - 30 mSv per month, to end - 10 mSv per month. If the dose accumulated over one month is predicted to remain above these levels for a year, the issue of relocation to permanent residence should be considered.

With increased accuracy, you can measure radiation with a household dosimeter-radiometer by taking quite a lot of measurements at a point (at a height of 1 meter from the ground surface) and calculating the average value or with several working devices at once, followed by averaging the measurement results. Record the readings taken, the time and number of measurements, the name, model and serial number of the equipment used, as well as the location and reason for the test. If it is raining, you must indicate this, since high humidity negatively affects the operation of these devices. Visually draw a map-scheme of the gamma survey - in the form of a picture or drawing with the main elements of the situation (lines) and indicating the compass orientation at the survey site. If local foci of gamma radiation are detected with a dose rate exceeding twice the natural background for a given area, it is necessary to carefully delineate them using measurements on a ten-meter coordinate grid and contact the local SES (sanitary and epidemiological station).

Natural, terrestrial sources of increased radioactive background - due mainly to the characteristics geological structure specific area and are usually associated with nearby granite (and other intrusive rocks) massifs and flooded tectonic faults (the source of radiative emanations of radon gas from groundwater). In underground cavities, in caves and adits located there, there may be increased background radiation values, which speleologists and diggers need to take into account (you must have at least one working normal dosimeter-radiometer per group, with an audible alarm turned on).

The results of individual monitoring of personnel radiation doses must be stored for 50 years. When conducting individual monitoring, it is necessary to keep records of the annual effective and equivalent doses, the effective dose for 5 consecutive years, as well as the total accumulated dose for the entire period of professional work.

In Chernobyl, during the accident, the liquidators worked until they reached a dose of 25 rem, that is, twenty-five roentgens (this is approximately 250 millisieverts), after which they were sent from there. Health status was also monitored using regular blood tests.

There is no radiation from a cell phone, but there is electromagnetic microwave radiation (the highest power at the antenna is in talk mode and when poor quality received signal), non-ionizing, but still damaging to biological tissue, especially to the central nervous system(on the brain) and on the state of health in general, IF you do not use a wired headset or hands free telephone headphones. Medical studies have shown that from the electromagnetic field of a telephone handset, memory deteriorates, a person’s intellectual abilities decrease, headaches and night insomnia occur. If calls on a mobile phone last more than 1 hour a day (professional level of radiation exposure), you must regularly (every year) be seen by a doctor (a general practitioner, if necessary, an oncologist). You can protect yourself if, when using headphones, you hold the mobile phone handset at a sufficient distance to reduce its radiation - no closer than half a meter from your head.

Persons exposed to a single dose of radiation exceeding 100 mSv should not be exposed to doses exceeding 20 mSv/year in further work. These people are not contagious. The danger comes from radioactive substances, for example, in the form of dust on work uniforms and the soles of shoes.

In the event of an emergency (emergency), to monitor the situation - have with you an individual dosimeter (always on in accumulation mode) or a radiometer configured to sound the threshold radiation value, for example - 0.7 µSv/h (µSv/h, uSv/h - designation on English language) = 70 micro-roentgens/hour. Gas masks used in the zone of radiation contamination (especially their filters) are a source of radiation.

When coal is burned, potassium-40, uranium-238 and thorium-232 contained in it are released in microscopic quantities. For this reason, furnaces that were fired with coal, ash dumps and nearby areas over which dust and ash fell from coal smoke have some radioactivity, usually not exceeding permissible standards. Using a radiometer and a magnetometer, archaeologists find ancient sites and human dwellings located at great depths from the surface of the earth.

After Chernobyl accident, in the "luminous" areas adjacent to the disaster site, in populated areas which were covered by a radioactive cloud - special mechanized units carried out the liquidation and burial or decontamination of buildings and property, contaminated equipment (trucks and cars, earthmoving and road construction machines). As a result of the accident, water bodies, pastures, forests and arable lands were exposed to radiation contamination, some of which are still “ringing” to this day.

From the literature, a tragic incident is known that occurred in the last century in Kramatorsk (Ukraine), when a source of Cs was lost in a crushed stone quarry. Subsequently, it was discovered in the wall of a built residential building.

Tumor (cancerous) cells can withstand irradiation up to several thousand roentgens, but healthy tissues do not survive and die at an absorbed dose of 100-400 R

Iodine-containing preparations and seafood (seaweed / Kelp) should be taken in advance, in reasonable quantities and according to the instructions - to prevent thyroid cancer from radioactive 131 I. You cannot drink a regular alcohol solution of iodine. You can only smear it externally - in the form of an iodine net (or “flowered”, under Khokhloma), draw it on the skin of the neck or other parts of the body (if there is no allergy to it).

There are several main ways to protect against penetrating radiation: limiting the exposure time, reducing the activity and energy of the radiation source, distance - the dose rate decreases with the square of the distance from the isotope (this rule only applies to small, “point sources”, relatively small linear sizes). When large areas and territories on the surface of the Earth are contaminated or when radionuclides, in the form of fine particles, enter the upper layers of the atmosphere, the stratosphere (with a sufficiently large power of nuclear warheads - from one hundred kilotons and above) - the level of radioactive radiation will be higher, the damage to the environment and danger to the population, radiation (dose) load is greater. In the event of a large-scale nuclear war, with the use of hundreds or several thousand nuclear warheads (including high and ultra-high power), in addition to radiation, there will be catastrophic consequences in the form of global (planetary scale) climate changes, abnormally cold, nuclear winter and night (lasting up to several years) - without sunlight (access to solar energy will decrease hundreds of times, with a widespread decrease in air temperature by 30-40 degrees), with famine and mass extinction of the population of entire continents, the disappearance of most flora and fauna, destruction of ecosystems, loss of the ozone layer (which protects the Earth from destructive, for all living things, cosmic rays) the atmosphere of the planet. Numerous nuclear power plants, nuclear waste storage facilities, gushing oil wells and burning gas flares, warehouses, factories and chemicals were left unattended and unmaintained after the global cataclysm. factories will add to the environmental problems of a depopulated planet. In the slang of "survivalists", such future events are called BP (from the abbreviation of the name "Big and Fluffy Northern Animal"), and before it was called the Apocalypse. Then, after the deposition of raised dust and ash on the earth and snow surfaces, when they are heated by solar radiation, a “nuclear summer” will begin, with the melting of the glaciers of the Himalayas, Greenland, Antarctica and the snow caps of the mountains, with an increase in the level of the world ocean, inland seas and reservoirs , the “global flood” will happen again. Perhaps people who took refuge in mountain caves and mines or in deep underground bunkers and shelters with a supply of food for several years, with a reserve fresh water, with air storage and regeneration systems. The opportunity to survive when the poles change will also be available to submariners of nuclear submarines who went to sea shortly before the disaster. City residents will try, for some time, to take refuge in old, unflooded bomb shelters or in city metro tunnels, while at the nearest prod. warehouses will not run out of food and drinking water. Humanity still has a chance to avoid the next and most destructive world war if they appear and optimally begin to be introduced into daily life new NBIC technologies (nano-, bio-, information and cognitive), decisive civilizational problems with energy resources and food supply for the planet's population.

Oil field studies show a marked increase in radiation levels in the area of ​​oil wells, caused by the gradual deposition of radium-226, thorium-232 and potassium-40 salts on equipment and adjacent soil. Therefore, spent oilfield drill pipes often become radioactive waste.

Non-ionizing radiation, due to its lower energy compared to ionizing radiation, is not capable of breaking chemical bonds molecules. But, with long-term exposure (duration) of exposure and some of its parameters (intensity, combination of frequencies, modulation of the signal and its strength, frequency of exposure) - they can adversely affect a living organism and worsen the health of people. According to the usual classification, non-ionizing radiation includes: electromagnetic radiation (in the range of industrial and radio frequencies), electrostatic field, laser radiation, constants and, especially, variables magnetic fields(the value of which is more than 0.2 µT). In modern urban conditions, human life is constantly surrounded by various non-ionizing radiation from household appliances (microwave ovens and other electrical appliances), transport, power lines, etc. They pose a danger to people with weakened immune systems, patients with diseases of the central nervous, hormonal, and cardiovascular systems. The population can be protected using various protective equipment and organizational and technical measures - limiting the time and intensity of exposure, distance (distance to the emitter) and location, using grounded protective screens (sheet metal, foil or mesh, various films and textile fabrics with a metallized coating) to weaken the fields.

Living organisms are constantly exposed to irradiation from natural sources, which include cosmic radiation, radionuclides of cosmic and terrestrial origin - 40 K, 238 U, 232 Th and their daughter nuclides, including 222 Rn (radon).

A radiologist, if he is a competent and adequate specialist, will try to minimize the total dose load for the patient so that treatment, X-ray and other examinations do not cause significant side effects for human health. But a large accumulated dose is possible if, for example, a surgeon or other doctor sends you to do x-rays many times. In order to make a correct diagnosis, this procedure can be repeated many times, and even in two or three projections.

In practice, to quickly check food products or building materials, soil and soil with a household radiometer, the filter cover is removed and the device operates ("counts") in the "indicator of excesses above the natural background" mode of gamma + hard betta radiation (if with a cover, it will measure only the gamut). To protect from water and dampness, place the device in transparent cellophane. Alpha particles cannot be detected by any household device; this requires professional equipment.

The equivalent dose rate of man-made radiation = the result of measurement by a radiometer (in microsieverts) minus the natural background radiation. In places where members of the public are located, it should not exceed 0.12 μSv/hour. For example, the background (that is, usual) value in a given area is 0.10 μSv/h, and measured there, at the outer surface of an object, is 0.15 μSv/h. Then: 0.15 - 0.10 = 0.05, which is not higher than the permissible twelve hundredths of a microsievert. This means that at this point there is no excess of 0.12 μSv/hour above the background level - technogenic radiation is “normal for the population”, in terms of radiation.

In the simplest homemade radiometer, the sensor is elongated sheets of thin newsprint or foil petals. They are attached to a metal rod placed in a glass jar. From the side, through the glass, such an indicator reacts to gamma, and if you bring an object from above, it also reacts to beta and alpha radiation (at a distance of up to 9 cm, directly, since alpha is absorbed even by a sheet of paper and a ten-centimeter layer of air). The detector must be electrified with static electricity so that the complete discharge time is at least 30 seconds, using a stopwatch (only if the transition process is long enough to ensure the accuracy of measurements). To do this, you can use a regular plastic comb. Start and end measurements with any device, not just homemade ones, by determining the background values ​​(if everything was done correctly, they will be approximately the same). To reduce the air humidity in the jar (so that the electroscope holds a charge) - heat it and place granules of silica gel or aluminum gel inside (pre-dry them, bake them on some fairly hot surface, in a frying pan).

// When searching for the first uranium deposits for the defense purposes of our country (potential adversaries, the Americans, were already testing their nuclear weapons at that time, and their plans were to use them against the USSR), Soviet geologists also used such first sensors, for lack of others (before measurements, the jar was dried in a hot Russian oven), to check the level of radioactivity of the found ore samples.

An example of measurements with a homemade petal radiometer on building materials:
background value - 42 seconds (based on the results of several measurements, background = (41+43+42) / 3 = 42 s.
quartz sand - 43 pp.
red brick - 32 pp.
crushed granite - 15 s.
RESULT: the crushed stone seems to be radioactive - its radiation is almost three times (42: 15 = 2.8) higher than the background (the value is not absolute, relative, but a multiple of the background values ​​is a fairly reliable indicator). If measurements by specialists using a professional instrument confirm the result (three times the background), the local SES (sanitary and epidemiological station) and the Ministry of Emergency Situations will take care of the problem. They will conduct a detailed radiometric survey of the contaminated area and the surrounding area and, if necessary, decontaminate the area.

Lead poisoning (Saturnism)

Heavy metals include those whose density is greater than that of iron (lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, cobalt, nickel). Accumulating in the human body, they cause carcinogenic effects.

Let's consider this using the example of lead (lat. Plumbum).

Lead enters the body in different ways: through the respiratory system (in the form of dust, aerosols and vapors), with food (5-10% is absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract) and through the skin. Lead compounds are soluble in gastric juice and other body fluids.

Forms of “saturnism” are weakness, anemia (pallor), intestinal colic (intestinal paralysis), nervous disorders and joint pain. One of the main signs of the disease is anemia. Brain lesions are clinically accompanied by convulsions and delirium, sometimes leading to drowsiness and coma. Of the peripheral nerves, the motor nerves are most often affected; paresis and paralysis often develop in the extensors of the hands and shoulder girdle. A gray “lead border” forms on the gums.

Lead accumulates in bones (the half-life from bone tissue is more than 20 years), nails and hair, as well as in the tissues of the liver and kidneys.

Lead encephalopathy is an acute disorder observed more often in children who have ingested lead paint. It begins with convulsions, after increased intracranial pressure and cerebral edema.

Dyes containing lead: lead white (lead carbonate, poisonous), red lead and litharge (red oxides), massicot (yellow). Enameled dishes coated on the inside with red or yellow enamel, as well as those with chips and cracks in the enamel, are harmful to health (poisoning with lead, cadmium, nickel, copper, chromium, manganese and other metals is possible).

In nature, lead ore appears as a result of the transformation of radioactive isotopes of uranium and thorium into stable (non-radioactive) isotopes of Pb with the release of alpha particles (helium nuclei).

Historical information: in 1697, the German physician Eberhard Gockel published a book entitled “A Remarkable Account of the Previously Unknown “Wine Sickness” Caused in the Years 1694, 95 and 96 by the Sweetening of Sour Wine with Lead Lithe...”, based on the results of his medical practice .

Today the issue of background radiation has become very acute. A huge number of devices that surround a person can harm him. That is why sanitary inspectors, as well as radiation safety workers, often check houses, streets, and businesses, because the radiation level exceeds the permissible values.

Norms for humans

Radiation standards are those values ​​that are used by scientists to designate a safe environment when exposed to various devices. Radiation standards are established by higher authorities, who try to regulate the strict observance of them at one or another enterprise, as well as in everyday life.

It is not uncommon to hear radiation levels discussed. The norm sometimes exceeds the permissible values. Mostly inflated figures are observed in enterprises chemical industry, where workers wear special suits to avoid exposure to radiation.

Acceptable standards

It is impossible to say exactly what the norm of radiation is for humans. Scientists have only identified some correspondences between radiation and everyday moments of life. First of all, it should be noted that all indicators are measured in microsieverts per hour (this determines the level of exposure to gamma radiation and background radiation).

It is believed that the norm of radiation, which is acceptable for the common man, should not be more than 5 mSv per year. Moreover, the indicators are calculated in aggregate for five years. If the level is elevated, then radiologists will find out the cause, and first of all, look for it in the air, and check the operating chemical plants in the city.

Examples of some indicators

So, the norm of radiation (permissible) for humans is:

• 0.005 mSv is the level of radiation that a person receives when watching television programs for approximately two or three hours a day (per year).
• 1 mSv is the radiation that a person will receive in any case, even if he completely protects himself from watching TV, computer, etc. (for a year).
• 0.01 mSv is the radiation to which a person is exposed after flying a distance from St. Petersburg to Magnitogorsk.
• 0.05 Sv is the exposure that is allowed for personnel working at nuclear power plants.

As you can see, a person is exposed to radiation throughout his life. Depending on the lifestyle he leads and where he works, it will be more or less.

Effects at different doses of radiation

Separately, it is necessary to say what effect this or that radiation dose will have:

• 11 µSv per hour - this is the dose that is considered dangerous and increases many times the likelihood of cancer tumors appearing in the human body.
• 10,000 mSv per hour - with such exposure a person immediately becomes ill and dies within two or three weeks.
• 1000 mSv per year - with this dose of radiation, a person feels a temporary malaise, which manifests itself as symptoms of radiation sickness. But it does not lead to death or deterioration of the condition to such an extent that a person cannot lead a normal life. Main danger is that the risk of cancer is becoming so great that annual examinations will be required to monitor cell mutations.
• 0.73 Sv per hour - with such short-term exposure, a change in blood composition occurs, which time will pass. But, as a rule, this will affect a person’s well-being in the future.

The norm of radiation for humans and the consequences of exceeding it

If the background radiation is increased, even if only slightly, this can lead to such consequences for humans as:

• oncological diseases, and the rate of metastasis increases significantly;
• problems with fetal development during pregnancy;
• infertility in both women and men;
• loss of vision;
• a decrease in the protective function of the body, and then its gradual destruction.

What to do if background radiation increases

The main reason that the permissible radiation level is too high is the objects surrounding a person. Today, all household appliances expose residents to radiation. globe. If the background radiation is significantly increased, you need to pay attention and check:

• batteries in the house, especially those that were produced in the USSR;
• furniture;
• tiles, which are usually laid in the toilet and bathroom;
• some food products, especially imported fish (even now fish that have been in poisoned waters are transported across the border).

The radiation rate is such an important indicator that it cannot be ignored. True, the current pace and lifestyle of many people, as well as the universal prevalence of technology, do not allow it to be reduced. And this happens because not a single person can do without a cell phone, computer, or the Internet, since our whole life is built on this! So you hear on the news that people are dying more people from cancer!

Anyone can measure radioactive radiation; devices are easy to find on sale today.

What is the harmless and lethal dose of radiation for humans and what do you need to know to correctly assess the danger?

Let's look at it below.

Natural radiation

What do they mean by “natural background radiation”?

This is radiation created by solar, cosmic radiation, as well as from natural sources. It affects living organisms continuously.

Biological objects, presumably adapted to it. It does not include surges in radiation arising from human activities on the planet.

When they say a safe dose of radiation, they mean the natural background. No matter what zone a person is in, he receives an average of 2400 μSv/year from the air, space, earth, and food.

Attention:

1. Natural background – 4-15 microR/hour. In the territory of the former Union, the radiation level ranges from 5 to 25 μR/h.
2. Acceptable background is 16-60 microR/hour.

Cosmic radiation covers the globe unevenly, the normal intensity at the poles is higher (the earth's magnetic field at the equator deflects charged particles more strongly). And also the permissible level depends on the altitude above sea level (exposure dose of solar radiation at an altitude of 10 km above sea level is 0.2 mrem/hour, at an altitude of 20 km – 1.6).

A person receives a certain amount during air travel: for a duration of 7-8 hours at an altitude of 8 km on a turboprop aircraft at a speed below the speed of sound, the radiation dose will be 50 μSv.

Attention: The effect of radioactive radiation on living organisms has not yet been fully studied. Small doses do not cause obvious, observable and studyable symptoms, although they probably have a delayed, systemic effect.

The issue of the influence of small quantities is controversial; some experts argue that humans are adapted to the natural background, while others believe that no limit, including normal background radiation, can be considered absolutely safe.

Types of background radiation

They need to be known in order to be able to assess where and when doses that are lethal to the human body may occur.

Types of background:

1. Natural. In addition to external sources, the body has an internal source - natural potassium.
2. Technologically modified natural. Its sources are natural, but artificially processed. For example, these could be natural resources extracted from the depths of the earth, from which building materials were subsequently made.
3. Artificial. It refers to the contamination of the globe with artificial radionuclides. It began to take shape with the development of nuclear weapons. Makes up 1-3% of the natural background.

There are lists of Russian cities in which the number of radiation exposures has become abnormally high (due to man-made disasters): Ozersk, Seversk, Semipalatinsk, the village of Aikhal, the city of Udachny.

How to measure

Measurements can be made either on the ground or, if the measurement is carried out for medical purposes, in the tissues of the body.

They are measured with dosimeters, which after a few minutes show the power of various types of radiation (beta and gamma), as well as the absorbed dose per hour. Household appliances do not capture alpha rays.

A professional will be required; when measuring, it is necessary that the device be located near the source (difficult if you need to measure the level of radiation from the ground on which a structure is already built). To determine the amount of radon, household radon radiometers are used.

Units

You can often find “the normal background radiation is 0.5 microsieverts/hour”, “the norm is up to 50 micro-roentgens per hour”. Why are the units of measurement different and how do they relate to each other? The value can often be the same, for example 1 Sievert = 1 Gray. But many units have different semantic content.

There are 5 main units in total:

1. Renten– the unit is non-systemic. 1 R = 1 BER, 1 R is approximately equal to 0.0098 Sv.
2. BER is an outdated measure of the same thing, the dose affecting living organisms as X-rays or gamma rays with a power of 1 R. 1 RER = 0.01 Sv.
3. Gray- absorbed. 1 Gray corresponds to 1 Joule of radiation energy per mass of 1 kg. 1 Gy = 100 Rad = 1 J/kg.
4. Glad– non-systemic unit. Also shows the dose of absorbed radiation per 1 kg. 1 rad is 0.01 J per 1 kg (1 rad = 0.01 Gy).
5. sievert– equivalent. 1 Sv, which equals 1 Gy, is equal to 1 J/1 kg or 100 RER.

For example: 10 mSv (millisieverts) = 0.01 Sv = 0.01 Gy = 1 Rad = 1 BER = 1 R.

Gray and Sievert are written in the SI system.

Is there even a safe dose?

There is no safety threshold; this was established by the scientist R. Siewert back in 1950. Specific numbers can describe a range; their impact can only be predicted approximately. Even a small, permissible dose can cause somatic or genetic changes.

The difficulty is that it is not always possible to see damage immediately; they appear some time later.

All this complicates the study of the issue and forces scientists to adhere to cautious, approximate estimates. That is why the safe level of radiation for humans is a range of values.

Who sets the standards?

The issues of regulation and control in the Russian Federation are dealt with by specialists from the State Committee for Sanitary and Epidemiological Supervision. The SanPiN standards take into account recommendations international organizations.

Documentation:

1. NRB-99. This is the main document. Standards are prescribed separately for the civilian population and workers whose work involves contact with sources of radiation.
2. OSPOR-99.

Absorbed dose

It shows how much radionuclides have been absorbed by the body.

Permissible radiation doses according to NRB-99:

1. Over a year - up to 1 mSv, which is 0.57 μSv/h (57 microroentgen/hour). For any five years in a row - no more than 5 mSv. Per year - no more than 5 mSv. If a person received a radiation dose of 4 mSv in a year, for the other four years there should be no more than 1 mSv.
2. For 70 years (taken as average duration entire life) – 70 mSv.

Note: 0.57 μSv/h is the upper value, it is considered safe for health - 2 times less. Optimal: up to 0.2 mSv/hour (20 microroentgen/hour) - this is the figure you should focus on.

Attention: These background radiation standards do not take into account the natural level, which varies depending on the area. The threshold for lowlanders will be lower.

These are the limits for the civilian population. For professionals, they are 10 times higher: 20 mSv/year is acceptable for 5 years in a row, while it is necessary that no more than 50 mSv/year occur in one year.

Permissible, safe radiation for humans also depends on the duration of exposure: without harm to health, you can spend several hours with external irradiation of 10 μSv (1 milliroentgen/hour), 10-20 minutes - with several milliroentgen. When performing a chest x-ray, the patient receives 0.5 mSv, which is half the annual norm.

Standards according to SanPin

Since much of the radiation comes from food, drinking water and out of thin air, SanPiNom has introduced standards that will allow us to evaluate these sources:

1. How much for premises? The safe amount of gamma rays is 0.25-0.4 μSv/hour (this figure includes the natural background for a particular area), radon and thoron in total are no more than 200 Bq/cub.m. in year.
2. In drinking water – the sum of all radionuclides does not exceed 2.2 Bq/kg. Radon – no more than 60 Bq/hour.
3. For products, the radiation norm is specified in detail, for each type separately.

If the doses in the apartment exceed those specified in paragraph 1, the building is considered dangerous to life and is reclassified from residential to non-residential, or is designated for demolition.

The contamination of building materials must be assessed: uranium, thorium, and potassium in total should not exceed 370 Bq/kg. The site for construction (industrial, individual) is also assessed: gamma rays near the ground - no more than 0.3 μSv/h, radon - no more than 80 mBq/sq.m*s.

What to do if the radioactivity of drinking water is higher than the specified norm (2.2 Bq/kg)?

Such water is once again assessed for the content of specific radionuclides separately for each type.

Interesting: sometimes you can hear that eating bananas or Brazil nuts is harmful. Nuts do contain some amount of radon, since the roots of the trees on which they grow go extremely deep into the soil, which is why they absorb the natural background inherent in the subsoil.

Important: Many naturally occurring foods contain radioactive isotopes. On average, the rate of permissible radiation received from food is 40 millirem/year (10% of the annual dose). All products intended for food sold through stores must be tested for contamination with strontium and cesium.

Lethal dose

What dose will be lethal?

One of Boris Akunin’s works tells about the island of Canaan. The holy hermits did not suspect that the “piece of the celestial sphere” they were protecting was a meteorite that landed in a uranium deposit. Radiation from this natural fission source led to death within a year.

But one of the “guards” was distinguished by excellent health - he became completely bald later than the others, and lived twice as long as the others.

This literary example clearly shows how variable the answer to the question of what is the lethal dose of radiation for humans can be.

There are these numbers:

1. Death – over 10 Gy (10 Sv, or 10,000 mSv).
2. Life-threatening – dosage exceeding 3000 mSv.
3. Radiation sickness will be caused by more than 1000 mSv (or 1 Sv, or 1 Gy).
4. The risk of various diseases, including cancer, is more than 200 mSv. Up to 1000 mSv indicates radiation injury.

A single exposure will lead to:

• 2 Sv (200 R) – decrease in lymphocytes in the blood for 2 weeks.
• 3-5 Sv – hair loss, peeling skin, irreversible infertility, 3.5 Sv – sperm disappear temporarily in men, at 5.5 – forever.
• 6-10 Sv is a fatal defeat, at best, several more years of life with very severe symptoms.
• 10-80 Sv – coma, death in 5-30 minutes.
• From 80 Sv – death instantly.

Mortality from radiation sickness depends on the dose received and state of health; with exposure to more than 4.5 Gy, mortality is 50%. Radiation sickness is also divided into various forms, depending on the amount of Sv received.

The type of irradiation (gamma, beta, alpha), the time of irradiation (high power in a short period or the same in small portions), which parts of the body were irradiated, or whether it was uniform, also matters.

Focus on the above figures and remember the most important rule safety - common sense.

The word “radiation” is associated by the majority of the population with man-made disasters, such as the atomic bombing of the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. If we briefly convey the feelings that arise in most people, it turns out that radiation is evil. Although in fact it existed on our planet long before the origin of life and will continue to exist even after the death of the planet.

The radiation rate for a person in microR/h is constantly monitored by special services in various spheres of his life. And this is a threat that is difficult to combat, and if the background radiation exceeds, the consequences can be the most disastrous. What are the dangers and what is the rate of radiation in microR/h for humans?

Nature itself is a natural source of radiation

Many factors are involved in the creation of natural things: these are sun rays and radionuclides. It is present literally in everything that surrounds a person. This includes water, food and air. It’s just that its level has different values: larger or smaller. But the greatest danger that radiation poses is that it has an invisible effect on the body.

Human senses give virtually no signals of danger. It just quietly does its job, causing pathology in the functioning of the body, and even leading to death.

What and how is radiation measured?

There are many measurement values, and they will be of interest, rather, to narrow specialists, so it is necessary to simplify the task and name only the most basic ones for everyday use.

Radiation that affects any living organism is called Calculating it is quite simple: the dose absorbed by the body in terms of body weight is multiplied by the damage coefficient. The resulting number is the unit of measurement in sieverts, or Sv for short. A natural background of 0.7 mSv per hour corresponds to approximately 70 roentgens per hour, or abbreviated to 70 µR/h. Knowing this value, it is easy to determine whether it is dangerous for humans.

The normal radiation level for humans is 20-50 microR/h. Consequently, this radiation background is overestimated. But it is necessary to highlight one more point for understanding - the influence of time. That is, if you immediately leave such an unfavorable zone, and do not stay there for days, then the exposure will not exceed the permissible radiation standards for humans.

It is produced with special devices - dosimeters. They are usually distinguished into professional and household. The whole difference is in the amount of error they can allow. For professional ones it should be no more than 7%, and for household ones it can be over 25%.

Mandatory monitoring sites

If we omit the need for measurements at military facilities, nuclear power plants and airplanes, it turns out that measurements take place in many spheres of human activity. And this is reasonable, especially given the emergence of new sources of radiation. Measurements are carried out in forests, mountainous areas, residential buildings and industrial facilities. It would not be superfluous to carry out such an operation when purchasing any real estate. When starting construction and when putting the facility into operation, such procedures are also carried out.

It’s not worth talking about kindergartens, hospitals, schools. To summarize, we can say that in almost all spheres of life, the norm of radiation and radiation for humans (μR/h) is monitored.

Monstrous ionization power

Electrons can attach to the shell of an atom or, conversely, be detached. This process is called ionization and is interesting because it can change the structure of an atom beyond recognition. Changed, it in turn changes the molecule. This is roughly the effect of radiation on the cells of a living organism. This leads to pathologies or simply diseases.

When sources of ionizing radiation exceed the norm, such an area is considered contaminated. The United Nations estimates the normal level of radiation for humans (in microroentgens/hour or sieverts), and it is 0.22 microroentgens, or 20 microroentgens per hour.

People may have a question: is radiation sickness transmitted, for example, through a handshake. Everyone should be calmed down immediately. You can communicate with irradiated people, and you don’t have to wear a gas mask to do this. The danger is hidden in objects that emit radiation - you just can’t touch them.

Is it possible to get a dose of radiation in your own apartment?

Home is considered to be the safest place on earth. This is partly true, but there are threatening factors there too. It is necessary to briefly touch upon the issue of the norm of radiation for a person and the doses that he can receive, even while in an apartment with his family.

It is generally accepted that modern technology is a source of danger, but for the most part people are mistaken. Danger may not lurk where expected. As an example, you can take old expensive things. Watches can significantly shorten your life. Especially if they use radium-226 salts as photomass.

This also applies to watches with a luminous dial. If they were created in the 50s and they are from the army, then we can guarantee that they are radioactive. In contact with the body they do not pose a danger, but sometimes inquisitive minds they can take them apart, and here an unpleasant surprise awaits them.

Glassware lovers should know that sometimes uranium dioxide is present in the paint. Modern cookware with such a coating is less dangerous. Fans of antiques can attract many “interesting” items into their collection using constant light, so you need to be careful.

Assessment of acceptable norms in peacetime and wartime

The radiation rate for humans in microR/h and safe radiation doses are calculated based on the conditions of the political life of the state during peace or war. U different states- your numbers.

The upper permissible value of a safe radioactive background in Brazil is generally 100 μR/h, and in Russia this figure fluctuates around 50-60 μR/h. Standards for contamination by radioactive substances are determined. The norm should not exceed 30 microR/h.

In combat conditions, an area with a reading of 0.5 roentgens per hour is considered contaminated. What is the norm of radiation for a person in microroentgen/hour in war conditions prescribed by the Ministry of Defense? The soldier remains in service if the exposure on the first day does not exceed 50 rads, and over the course of a year 300 rads.

Exposure to small and large doses of radiation is dangerous. In the first case, it can lead to oncology and genetic diseases, the special insidiousness of which will appear in a few years. In the second case, the person immediately gets acute radiation sickness. It has 4 degrees depending on the degree received during being in the unfavorable zone.

Extremely severe degree 600-1000 rad. People with pronounced symptoms present with apathy, lethargy, and refuse to eat. Bleeding may occur, and any infection is extremely difficult to tolerate due to weakened immunity.

The influence of human activities on the radiation background of planet Earth

In ancient times, human activity could not affect the background radiation of the Earth. When coal is burned, potassium, uranium-238 and thorium are released. Thanks to this, archaeologists find ancient human settlements.

But with the development of industry, man has ceased to be harmless and invisible to the planet. He became a threat to her existence. Nuclear weapons can cause irreparable consequences in the form of climate change. All living things will die if humanity does not stop.

A study of the degree of contamination of areas near oil fields showed that it is increasing. History knows the big ones man-made disasters(Fukushima, Chernobyl), which caused irreparable damage to the environment. And this is just the beginning. The full horror of the tragedy associated with strontium will yet manifest itself. And on this moment Iodine-131 and strontium-90, entering the body with food, cause internal irradiation.

These notorious accidents affected everyone - albeit unnoticed, but this is the special insidiousness of radiation. What is the permissible norm for a person in microroentgens/h, in different countries interpreted differently due to many different factors. But these indicators can very easily change. You don't have to look far for examples. Just look at the experience of the Republic of Belarus.

Foods that reduce the level of radiation in the body

Nature itself has made sure that people can naturally reduce the impact of radiation through food; these are vegetables such as onions, garlic, carrots, everything that gardens are rich in. The main thing is that they are “natural” and not accelerated cultivation. Seaweed and walnuts compensate for the lack of iodine in the human body. Horseradish and mustard will also not be superfluous foods on the table.

There is a misconception that strong alcoholic drinks remove radiation from the body - this is not true. Vodka and red wine have virtually no effect on its quantity. The only caveat is that red wine in small quantities can be used as a preventive measure, but nothing more.

Conclusion

The radiation was, is and will be. The radiation rate for humans in microR/h is prescribed and confirmed by many studies. Unfortunately, in Lately Humanity is increasingly faced with problems associated with radioactive contamination. Therefore, it depends on people what consequences all this will have in the future.