Iodine-131 is a naturally found radioisotope and its radioactivity has useful purposes in everyday applications. For example, Iodine 131 can diagnose and treat cancer of the thyroid glands. Iodine 131 may have many positive uses, however, if ingested the affects can seriously harm one’s body. Alpha Decay is when an unstable atom’s nucleus releases two protons and two neutrons (commonly referred to as a helium atom), which are called alpha particles (Lab, n.d.) . Since both mass and atomic number changes, the element also changes (Lab, n.d.). Alpha particles cannot go through paper (Lab, n.d.), nevertheless, can cause damage on the internal organs if consumed. Beta radiation is the release of beta particles, which are electrons ejected from a decaying atom (Lab, n.d.). Beta radiation cannot pass through Aluminium (Lab, n.d.). Beta-minus decay occurs when a neutron turns into a proton, electron and an antineutrino(Lab, n.d.). An antineutrino is the “antiparticle” of a neutrino particle, which is an electrically neutral particle (Lab, n.d.). A neutrino has a mass close to zero and reacts very weakly towards normal matter (Lab, n.d.). Gamma radiation is the release of gamma rays (Lab, n.d.). These rays produce electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength than those of an X-ray. They are able to penetrate paper and aluminium but are not able to pass through a certain thickness of lead (Lab, n.d.). A radioisotope is another term for a radioactive isotope.
Half- life is the time it takes for the half the number of radioactive atoms in a sample to decay.The element Iodine has one hundred and forty isotopes (Lab, n.d.). The Isotope with a mass of 127 being the most stable. Since there are so many different isotopes, a comparison of...
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...thin 100 days or so Interesting facts •I-131 breaks down rapidly in the atmosphere •Most exposure occurs through drinking contaminated milk •Little exposure comes from fruits or vegetables because 1-131 is only deposited on the surface. People usually wash or peel their fruits and vegetable •Risk for thyroid cancer increases with exposure to 1- 131. But even those exposed to I-131, only a few develop this cancer. Iodine-131 has many useful applications in everyday life; however, there are some negative aspects involved. I-131 can treat thyroid gland disorders as well as detect them; but, if the radioisotope is released into the air, contaminates food or water sources, major health risks can arise. This radioisotope is essential in curing specific medical aspects, as we do not have another solution to cure certain situations. Nevertheless the negative points remain.
...r. Iodine 131, another radioactive element, can dilute very quickly in the air, but if it is deposited on grass eaten by cows, the cows then re-concentrate it in their milk. Absorbed into the body's thyroid gland in a concentrated dose, Iodine 131 can cause cancer. In the Chernobyl disaster, the biggest health effect has been cases of thyroid cancer especially in children living near the nuclear plant. Therefore, because of the Chernobyl disaster we know to test the grass, soil, and milk for radiation. Also, an evacuation of the Chernobyl area was not ordered until over 24 hours after the incident. Japanese authorities evacuated 200,000 people from the area of Fukushima within hours of the initial alert. From the mistakes and magnitude of the disaster at Chernobyl, the world learned how to better deal with the long and short term effect of a Nuclear Fallout.
Wagner, H. M. Recent Trends In Human Lead Exposure. New Horizons in Biological Dosimetry, 1991, pp. 179-186.
Thyroid cancer is an abnormal and malignant cell growth in the thyroid gland (see figure 1). The wellbeing of a person’s thyroid gland is extremely important, as this organ secretes hormones and other chemicals that help a person maintain homeostasis, more specifically the weight, blood pressure, heart rate, and internal body temperature (Bethesda, National Cancer Institute). According to the Mayo Clinic, although it is not yet clear to researchers what exactly causes thyroid cancer, what medical scientists do know is why it occurs. One type of thyroid cancer that can be genetic is medullary thyroid cancer. This type of cancer is genetic because it is linked with a variety of risk factors that could lead up to cancer, such as gender, age, radiation exposure, hereditary conditions, and family history (“What Are the Risk Factors for Thyroid Cancer?”). A major specific cause of thyroid diseases and cancers is insufficient iodine intake. Thyroid cancer is less common in the United States, than places that do not include as much iodine in the diet because in the United States, iodine is often added to many foods and consumption products. An environmental factor that is associated with thyroid cancer is exposure to radiation. One major example of this is the radiation from the Chernobyl incident; many people were affected by the radiation and many people, especially children, developed thyroid cancer (“What Are the Risk Factors for Thyroid Cancer?”).
"Estimated Exposures and Thyroid Doses Received by the American People from Iodine-131 in Fallout Following Nevada Atmospheric Nuclear Bomb Tests National Cancer Institute (NCI). 2002. June 2004.
...atment is safe because radio-iodine is able to deliver a sufficient amount of radiation to the thyroid allowing to slow the hormone production, and only deliver a small amount to the body. The radiation delivered to the body is far from harmful and is only equivalent to the amount of radiation delivered from two routine diagnostic X-Ray procedures such as a gastrointestinal series ("Educational Material"). The form of treatment has been used for 35 years and over one million patients in the United States have been assisted through the treatment of radioactive iodine ablation. Most physicians will rely on this treatment and recommend 90 percent of their over active thyroid patients to receive the radioactive iodine ("Educational Material"). The treatment, till this day, is known to continuously alleviate the majority of symptoms hyperthyroidism patients have today.
This is the major contributor to worldwide radiation exposure, Non-medical, man-made radiation used in small amounts in food irradiation, airport security scanners, and some consumer products. Exposure to man-made radiation can happen in certain workplaces, or in communities as a result of above ground nuclear weapons testing and nuclear accidents
could kill animals (source 2). If the radioactive material gets in water it could pollute the water. When
Isotopes refer to 1 of 2 or more atoms with the same atomic number but different numbers of neutrons. The atom copper has two stable isotopes. They are 63Cu and 65Cu. 63Cu has an isotope atomic mass (in atom) of 62.9295989 and a natural abundance (in atom %) of 69.17. 65Cu has an isotope atomic mass (in atom) of 64.9277929 and a natural abundance (in atom %) of 30.83.
This is going to be used as an example to show how the decaying of
To understand what a radioactive isotope is a basic understanding of the atom is necessary. Atoms are comprised of three subatomic particles : protons, neutrons and electrons. Protons and neutrons bind together to form the nucleus of the atom, while the electrons surround and orbit the nucleus. Protons and electrons have opposite charges and therefore attract one another (electrons are negative and protons are positive, and opposite charges attract), and in most cases the number of electrons and protons are the same for an atom (making the atom neutral in charge). The neutrons are neutral. Their purpose in the nucleus is to bind protons together. Because the protons all have the same charge and would naturally repel one another, the neutrons act as "glue" to hold the protons tightly together in the nucleus.
• The use of a catalyst will speed up the reaction as long as the catalysts electrode potentials are feasible for each step in the reaction. Since a catalyst lowers the activation energy and takes the reaction through a different route, according to the Maxwell-Boltzmann diagram, at a constant temperature more particles are able to react as demonstrated by the diagrams below:
A radioisotope is an isotope that emits radiation as it has nuclear instability(Prostate Cancer; Fusion imaging helps target greater doses of radiation).Those who are not too familiar with radioisotopes may think their use is for harmful radiation, nuclear weapons, and the possibility of turning into a giant, raging, green monster. However, there are much more positive uses for radioisotopes. There have been many medical advances thanks to the benefit and practice of radioisotopes in nuclear medicine. These advances have been able to diagnose and treat a variety of diseases.
Beta radiation/emission – Beta particles are electrons (0-1e) that have been released from the nucleus of a radioactive atom when a neutron decays into a proton and electron. Beta decay/emission happens when the neutron to proton ratio is too high due to excess neutrons. 10n 11p + 0-1e (mass is still conserved as well as number of protons.)
rate. A half-life can be less than a second or can be thousands of years long.
The impact of nuclear power on the modern world has improved Various sectors of the economy and society .i.e. Food and Agriculture, Insect control, Food Preservation, Water Resources, Military, Medicine, Research and Industry. “In 1911 George de Hevesy conducted the first application of a radioisotope. At the time de Hevesy was a young Hungarian student working in Manchester with naturally radioactive materials. Not having much money he lived in modest accommodation and took his meals with his landlady. He began to suspect that some of the meals that appeared regularly might be made from leftovers from the preceding days or even weeks, but he could never be sure. To try and confirm his suspicions de Hevesy put a small amount of radioactive material into the remains of a meal. Several days later when the same dish was served again he used a simple radiation detection instrument - a gold leaf electroscope - to check if the food was radioactive. It was, and de Hevesy's suspicions were confirmed.