Orders of magnitude (radiation)

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Radiation Dosages

Recognized effects of higher acute radiation doses are described in more detail in the article on radiation poisoning. Although the International System of Units (SI) defines the sievert (Sv) as the unit of radiation dose equivalent, chronic radiation levels and standards are still often given in units of millirems (mrem), where 1 mrem equals 1/1,000 of a rem and 1 rem equals 0.01 Sv. Light radiation sickness begins at about 50100 rad (0.51 gray (Gy), 0.51 Sv, 50100 rem, 50,000100,000 mrem).

Contents

The following table includes some dosages for comparison purposes, using millisieverts (mSv) (one thousandth of a sievert). The concept of radiation hormesis is relevant to this table – radiation hormesis is a hypothesis stating that the effects of a given acute dose may differ from the effects of an equal fractionated dose. Thus 100 mSv is considered twice in the table below – once as received over a 5-year period, and once as an acute dose, received over a short period of time, with differing predicted effects. The table describes doses and their official limits, rather than effects.

Absorbed Dosages (D)

Total Absorbed Dosages

Total Absorbed Dosage Levels (D)
Dosage LevelDescription
250 mGyLowest dose to cause clinically observable blood changes
260 mGyPeak natural background dose after one year in Ramsar, Iran [1]
2 GyLocal dose for onset of erythema in humans
48.5 Gy (4.85 krad)Roughly calculated from the estimated 4,500 + 350 rad dose for fatality of Russian experimenter on June 17, 1997, at Sarov. [2]
100 Gy (10 krad)Estimated fatality at the United Nuclear Fuels Recovery Plant on July 24, 1964. [2]
2 kGyOne second of the estimated dose applied to the inner wall in ITER [3]
10 kGy (1 Mrad)Typical tolerance of radiation-hardened microchips
10 MGy (1 Grad)The maximum radiation dosage of the most hardened electronics. [4]

Effective Dosages (E)

Level (mSv)Level in standard form (mSv)DurationHourly equivalent (μSv/hour)Description
1×10^−3Hourly Cosmic ray dose rate on commercial flights varies from 1 to 10 μSv/hour, depending on altitude, position and solar sunspot phase. [5]
1×10^−2DailyNatural background radiation, including radon [6]
6×10^−2Acute- Chest X-ray (AP+Lat) [7]
7×10^−2Acute-Transatlantic airplane flight.
9×10^−2Acute- Dental X-ray (Panoramic) [7]
1×10^−1AnnualAverage USA dose from consumer products [8]
1.5×10^−1AnnualUSA EPA cleanup standard [ citation needed ]
2.5×10^−1AnnualUSA NRC cleanup standard for individual sites/sources [ citation needed ]
2.7×10^−1AnnualYearly dose from natural cosmic radiation at sea level (0.5 in Denver due to altitude) [8]
2.8×10^−1AnnualUSA yearly dose from natural terrestrial radiation (0.16-0.63 depending on soil composition) [8]
4.6×10^−1Acute-Estimated largest off-site dose possible from March 28, 1979 Three Mile Island accident [ citation needed ]
4.8×10^−1DayUSA NRC public area exposure limit[ citation needed ]
6.6×10^−1AnnualAverage USA dose from human-made sources [6]
7×10^−1Acute-Mammogram [7]
1×10^0AnnualLimit of dose from man-made sources to a member of the public who is not a radiation worker in the US and Canada [6] [9]
1.1×10^0AnnualAverage USA radiation worker occupational dose in 1980 [6]
1.2×10^0Acute-Abdominal X-ray [7]
2×10^0AnnualUSA average medical and natural background
Human internal radiation due to radon, varies with radon levels
[8]
2×10^0Acute- Head CT [7]
3×10^0AnnualUSA average dose from all natural sources [6]
3.66×10^0AnnualUSA average from all sources, including medical diagnostic radiation doses[ citation needed ]
4×10^0Duration of the pregnancy Canada CNSC maximum occupational dose to a pregnant woman who is a designated Nuclear Energy Worker. [9]
5×10^0AnnualUSA NRC occupational limit for minors (10% of adult limit)
USA NRC limit for visitors [10]
5×10^0PregnancyUSA NRC occupational limit for pregnant women[ citation needed ]
6.4×10^0AnnualHigh Background Radiation Area (HBRA) of Yangjiang, China [11]
7.6×10^0AnnualFountainhead Rock Place, Santa Fe, NM natural[ citation needed ]
8×10^0Acute- Chest CT [7]
1×10^1Acute-Lower dose level for public calculated from the 1 to 5 rem range for which USA EPA guidelines mandate emergency action when resulting from a nuclear accident [6]
Abdominal CT [7]
1.4×10^1Acute-18F FDG PET scan, [12] Whole Body
5×10^1AnnualUSA NRC/ Canada CNSC occupational limit for designated Nuclear Energy Workers [9] (10 CFR 20)
1×10^25 yearsCanada CNSC occupational limit over a 5-year dosimetry period for designated Nuclear Energy Workers [9]
1×10^2Acute-USA EPA acute dose level estimated to increase cancer risk 0.8% [6]
1.2×10^230 yearsExposure, long duration, Ural Mountains, lower limit, lower cancer mortality rate [13]
1.5×10^2AnnualUSA NRC occupational eye lens exposure limit [ citation needed ][ clarification needed ]
1.7×10^2AcuteAverage dose for 187,000 Chernobyl recovery operation workers in 1986 [14] [15]
1.75×10^2Annual Guarapari, Brazil natural radiation sources[ citation needed ]
2.5×10^22 hours(125 mSv/hour) Whole body dose exclusion zone criteria for US nuclear reactor siting [16] (converted from 25 rem)
2.5×10^2Acute-USA EPA voluntary maximum dose for emergency non-life-saving work [6]
4–9×10^2AnnualUnshielded in interplanetary space. [17]
5×10^2AnnualUSA NRC occupational whole skin, limb skin, or single organ exposure limit
5×10^2Acute-Canada CNSC occupational limit for designated Nuclear Energy Workers carrying out urgent and necessary work during an emergency. [9]
Low-level radiation sickness due to short-term exposure [18]
7.5×10^2Acute-USA EPA voluntary maximum dose for emergency life-saving work [6]
10×10^2HourlyLevel reported during Fukushima I nuclear accidents, in immediate vicinity of reactor [19]
3×10^3Acute-Thyroid dose (due to iodine absorption) exclusion zone criteria for US nuclear reactor siting [16] (converted from 300 rem)
4.8×10^3Acute- LD50 (actually LD50/60) in humans from radiation poisoning with medical treatment estimated from 480 to 540 rem. [20]
5×10^3Acute-Calculated from the estimated 510 rem dose fatally received by Harry Daghlian on August 21, 1945, at Los Alamos and lower estimate for fatality of Russian specialist on April 5, 1968, at Chelyabinsk-70. [2]
5×10^35,000 - 10,000 mSv. Most commercial electronics can survive this radiation level. [21]
1.6×10^4AcuteHighest estimated dose to Chernobyl emergency worker diagnosed with acute radiation syndrome [15]
2×10^4AcuteInterplanetary exposure to solar particle event (SPE) of October 1989. [22] [23]
2.1×10^4Acute-Calculated from the estimated 2,100 rem dose fatally received by Louis Slotin on May 21, 1946, at Los Alamos and lower estimate for fatality of Russian specialist on April 5, 1968 Chelyabinsk-70. [2]
4.85×10^4Acute-Roughly calculated from the estimated 4,500 + 350 rad dose for fatality of Russian experimenter on June 17, 1997, at Sarov. [2]
6×10^4Acute-Roughly calculated from the estimated 6,000 rem doses for several Russian fatalities from 1958 onwards, such as on May 26, 1971, at the Kurchatov Institute. Lower estimate for fatality of Cecil Kelley at Los Alamos on December 30, 1958. [2]
1×10^5Acute-Roughly calculated from the estimated 10,000 rad dose for fatality at the United Nuclear Fuels Recovery Plant on July 24, 1964. [2]
3×10^73,600,000Radiation tolerated by Thermococcus gammatolerans , a microbe extremely resistant to radiation. [24]
7×10^10HourlyEstimated dose rate for the inner wall in ITER (2 kGy/s with an approximate weighting factor of 10) [3]
PIA17601-Comparisons-RadiationExposure-MarsTrip-20131209.png
Comparison of Radiation Doses - includes the amount detected on the trip from Earth to Mars by the RAD on the MSL (2011 - 2013). [25] [26] [27] [28]

See also

Related Research Articles

Background radiation is a measure of the level of ionizing radiation present in the environment at a particular location which is not due to deliberate introduction of radiation sources.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acute radiation syndrome</span> Health problems caused by high levels of ionizing radiation

Acute radiation syndrome (ARS), also known as radiation sickness or radiation poisoning, is a collection of health effects that are caused by being exposed to high amounts of ionizing radiation in a short period of time. Symptoms can start within an hour of exposure, and can last for several months. Early symptoms are usually nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite. In the following hours or weeks, initial symptoms may appear to improve, before the development of additional symptoms, after which either recovery or death follow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sievert</span> SI unit of equivalent dose of ionizing radiation

The sievert is a unit in the International System of Units (SI) intended to represent the stochastic health risk of ionizing radiation, which is defined as the probability of causing radiation-induced cancer and genetic damage. The sievert is important in dosimetry and radiation protection. It is named after Rolf Maximilian Sievert, a Swedish medical physicist renowned for work on radiation dose measurement and research into the biological effects of radiation.

Ionizing radiation, including nuclear radiation, consists of subatomic particles or electromagnetic waves that have sufficient energy to ionize atoms or molecules by detaching electrons from them. Some particles can travel up to 99% of the speed of light, and the electromagnetic waves are on the high-energy portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dosimetry</span> Measurement of absorbed ionizing radiation

Radiation dosimetry in the fields of health physics and radiation protection is the measurement, calculation and assessment of the ionizing radiation dose absorbed by an object, usually the human body. This applies both internally, due to ingested or inhaled radioactive substances, or externally due to irradiation by sources of radiation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hormesis</span> Characteristic of biological processes

Hormesis is a two-phased dose-response relationship to an environmental agent whereby low-dose amounts have a beneficial effect and high-dose amounts are either inhibitory to function or toxic. Within the hormetic zone, the biological response to low-dose amounts of some stressors is generally favorable. An example is the breathing of oxygen, which is required in low amounts via respiration in living animals, but can be toxic in high amounts, even in a managed clinical setting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Health physics</span>

Health physics, also referred to as the science of radiation protection, is the profession devoted to protecting people and their environment from potential radiation hazards, while making it possible to enjoy the beneficial uses of radiation. Health physicists normally require a four-year bachelor’s degree and qualifying experience that demonstrates a professional knowledge of the theory and application of radiation protection principles and closely related sciences. Health physicists principally work at facilities where radionuclides or other sources of ionizing radiation are used or produced; these include research, industry, education, medical facilities, nuclear power, military, environmental protection, enforcement of government regulations, and decontamination and decommissioning—the combination of education and experience for health physicists depends on the specific field in which the health physicist is engaged.

The roentgen equivalent man (rem) is a CGS unit of equivalent dose, effective dose, and committed dose, which are dose measures used to estimate potential health effects of low levels of ionizing radiation on the human body.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Linear no-threshold model</span> Deprecated model predicting health effects of radiation

The linear no-threshold model (LNT) is a dose-response model used in radiation protection to estimate stochastic health effects such as radiation-induced cancer, genetic mutations and teratogenic effects on the human body due to exposure to ionizing radiation. The model assumes a linear relationship between dose and health effects, even for very low doses where biological effects are more difficult to observe. The LNT model implies that all exposure to ionizing radiation is harmful, regardless of how low the dose is, and that the effect is cumulative over lifetime.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radiation hormesis</span> Hypothesis regarding low doses of ionizing radiation on health

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rolf Maximilian Sievert</span> Swedish medical physicist, professor

Rolf Maximilian Sievert was a Swedish medical physicist whose major contribution was in the study of the biological effects of ionizing radiation.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chernobyl liquidators</span> Civil and military force sent to deal with the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster

Chernobyl liquidators were the civil and military personnel who were called upon to deal with the consequences of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster in the Soviet Union on the site of the event. The liquidators are widely credited with limiting both the immediate and long-term damage from the disaster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation</span>

The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) was set up by resolution of the United Nations General Assembly in 1955. Twenty-one states are designated to provide scientists to serve as members of the committee which holds formal meetings (sessions) annually and submits a report to the General Assembly. The organisation has no power to set radiation standards nor to make recommendations in regard to nuclear testing. It was established solely to "define precisely the present exposure of the population of the world to ionizing radiation". A small secretariat, located in Vienna and functionally linked to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), organizes the annual sessions and manages the preparation of documents for the committee's scrutiny.

Radiobiology is a field of clinical and basic medical sciences that involves the study of the effects of ionizing radiation on living things, in particular health effects of radiation. Ionizing radiation is generally harmful and potentially lethal to living things but can have health benefits in radiation therapy for the treatment of cancer and thyrotoxicosis. Its most common impact is the induction of cancer with a latent period of years or decades after exposure. High doses can cause visually dramatic radiation burns, and/or rapid fatality through acute radiation syndrome. Controlled doses are used for medical imaging and radiotherapy.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Effects of ionizing radiation in spaceflight</span> Cancer causing exposure to ionizing radiation in spaceflight

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