Radiation Response Course
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Defence Research and Recherche et de´veloppement Development Canada pour la de´fense Canada CAN UNCLASSIFIED Radiation Response Course Pre-Instructional Package T. J. S. Munsie DRDC – Suffield Research Centre The body of this CAN UNCLASSIFIED document does not contain the required security banners according to DND security standards. However, it must be treated as CAN UNCLASSIFIED and protected appropriately based on the terms and conditions specified on the covering page. Defence Research and Development Canada Reference Document DRDC-RDDC-2020-D130 December 2020 CAN UNCLASSIFIED CAN UNCLASSIFIED IMPORTANT INFORMATIVE STATEMENTS This document was reviewed for Controlled Goods by DRDC using the Schedule to the Defence Production Act. Disclaimer: This publication was prepared by Defence Research and Development Canada an agency of the Department of National Defence. The information contained in this publication has been derived and determined through best practice and adherence to the highest standards of responsible conduct of scientific research. This information is intended for the use ofthe Department of National Defence, the Canadian Armed Forces (“Canada") and Public Safety partners and, as permitted, may be shared with academia, industry, Canada’s allies, and the public (“Third Parties"). Any use by, or any reliance on or decisions made based on this publication by Third Parties, are done at their own risk and responsibility. Canada does not assume any liability for any damages or losses which may arise from any use of, or reliance on, the publication. Endorsement statement: This publication has been published by the Editorial Office of Defence Research and Development Canada, an agency of the Department of National Defence of Canada. Inquiries can be sent to: [email protected]. © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, Department of National Defence, 2020 © Sa Majesté la Reine en droit du Canada, Ministère de la Défense nationale, 2020 CAN UNCLASSIFIED Abstract This pre-instructional package is designed to cover the basic material required to be fluent in the language that will be used on the Radiation Response Course. It is expected that a significant amount of this material is review, and the contents will be confirmed atthe beginning of the course. The appendices are reference material. It is expected that the candidate will be familiar with the terminology in the Glossary, the unit conversions in Annex A and a list of common medical radioisotopes in Annex B. The terminology in the Glossary is partially used in this pre-read package but will be used during the course itself and forms the core of “radiological jargon” or language specific to the radiological sciences. DRDC-RDDC-2020-D130 i Résumé La présente trousse de préinstruction devrait fournir la matière de base nécessaire pour maîtriser le langage utilisé durant le cours sur les effets du rayonnement. Une part impor- tante du cours devrait être une revue de la matière et on en confirmera le contenu au début du cours. Les annexes constituent la documentation de référence. On s’attend à ce que les candidats se familiarisent avec la terminologie à le glossaire, la conversion des unités à l’annexe A et la liste de radioisotopes médicaux d’usage courant à l’annexe B. La termino- logie à le glossaire est déjà utilisée en partie dans la trousse de prélecture, mais elle servira également durant le cours. Cette terminologie représente l’essentiel du « jargon technique » utilisé en radiologie et constitue le technolecte des sciences radiologiques. ii DRDC-RDDC-2020-D130 Table of Contents Abstract...........................................i Résumé........................................... ii Table of Contents..................................... iii List of Tables........................................ iv Acknowledgements.....................................v 1 Introduction.......................................1 2 Understanding Radiation and its Health Effects...................1 2.1 Types of Radiation...............................1 2.1.1 Alpha Radiation............................1 2.1.2 Beta Radiation.............................2 2.1.3 Gamma Radiation and X-rays....................4 2.1.4 Neutron Radiation...........................6 2.1.4.1 Water as a Neutron Shield.................8 2.1.4.2 Concrete as a Neutron Shield...............8 2.2 How Radiation is Measured..........................9 2.3 Biological Effects of Radiation Exposure................... 11 2.4 Interaction of Radioactive Particles with Shielding Materials........ 13 3 General Radiation Protection Principles....................... 14 4 Sources of Radiation.................................. 15 4.1 Natural Background Radiation......................... 15 4.1.1 Cosmic Radiation........................... 16 4.1.2 Terrestrial Radiation.......................... 16 4.1.3 Inhalation................................ 16 DRDC-RDDC-2020-D130 iii 4.1.4 Ingestion................................ 17 4.2 Making an Effective Background Measurement................ 17 4.3 Commercial Radiological Sources and Shipments............... 18 4.3.1 Radiography Cameras and Projectors................ 18 4.3.2 Well-logging Devices.......................... 18 4.3.3 Medical Applications.......................... 21 4.3.3.1 Teletherapy......................... 21 4.3.3.2 Blood Irradiation...................... 21 4.3.3.3 Brachytherapy........................ 22 4.3.4 Research Applications......................... 23 4.3.5 Energy Applications.......................... 23 4.3.6 Transportation and Packaging.................... 23 References.......................................... 24 Annex A: SI Units and Conversions........................... 25 Annex B: Radioisotopes used in Medical Applications................. 27 List of Symbols/Abbreviations/Acronyms/Initialisms.................. 31 Glossary........................................... 32 iv DRDC-RDDC-2020-D130 List of Tables Table 1: Weighting factors for dose based on particle type.............. 10 Table 2: Weighting factors for dose based on effected tissue.............. 11 Table 3: Biological effects of radiation based on dose................. 13 Table 4: A comparison of the density and gamma radiation half-value layer (HVL) of various typical shielding materials for 1 MeV gamma photons...... 14 Table 5: A partial list of commercial uses of radioisotopes.............. 19 Table 6: A partial list of the appearance and radiation type of commercially used radioisotopes................................... 20 Table A.1: Table of SI prefixes............................... 25 Table A.2: Conversion between becquerel and curie units................ 25 Table A.3: Conversion between gray and rad units.................... 26 Table A.4: Conversion between sievert and rem units.................. 26 Table B.1: Medical uses of reactor-generated radioisotopes............... 27 Table B.2: Medical uses of cyclotron-generated radioisotopes.............. 29 DRDC-RDDC-2020-D130 v Acknowledgements The author would like to thank Dan White and the members of the Radiation and Nu- clear Technologies Group (RN Tech Gp), Counterterrorism and Training Centre (CTTC), Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) – Suffield Research Centre for their feedback. Additionally the author would like to thank Canadian Special Operational Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) for their feedback and input in the development of this pre- program instruction package (PIP). vi DRDC-RDDC-2020-D130 1 Introduction This pre-instructional package (PIP) is designed to cover the basic material required to be fluent in the language that will be used on the Radiation Response Course. It isexpected that a significant amount of this material is review, and the contents will be confirmed atthe beginning of the course. Part of this material (the appendices) is meant as a during-course and future reference document. A significant portion of Section 4.3 is likely new material, will be spoken about during the course and can be considered as reference for the level of understanding needed prior to the course. Information from Section 4.3 will make only a cursory appearance in the PIP reading evaluation. 2 Understanding Radiation and its Health Effects Ionizing radiation is a type of radiation travelling either as a particle or electromagnetic wave, that carries sufficient energy to detach electrons from atoms or molecules, thereby ionizing them. Ionizing radiation is made up of energetic subatomic particles, ions or atoms moving at high speeds (usually greater than 1% of the speed of light) or electromagnetic waves on the high-energy end of the electromagnetic spectrum—typically x-rays and gamma rays. Ionizing radiation delivers sufficient energy to break the binding force between the electrons and the nucleus of the atom. For this reason, ionizing radiation is able to make changes to cells in our bodies. These same particles at low energy, or electromagnetic waves at lower energy such as radio or FM waves, are non-ionizing and essentially harmless in most circumstances. 2.1 Types of Radiation There are four primary forms that ionizing radiation takes; three are particles and one is an electromagnetic wave. The particles are known as alpha particles, beta particles and neutrons. Of those, alpha and beta particles are directly ionizing, or cause ionization of an atom through their own interactions, while neutrons are considered indirectly ionizing, as they don’t create the ionization effect themselves, but generate