8 Answers to questions about nuclear radiation that arose after the series “Chernobyl”

Chernobyl, new success among series lovers, provoked a great discussion worldwide and received controversial reviews. However, that did not stop it from becoming the “best series in the world”, according to its current ranking on IMDb.

The team of awesome.club watched the series and, after that, asked a series of questions about one of its “protagonists”: nuclear radiation. We try to understand this complex phenomenon to tell, in simple language, how radioactivity affects living beings in their everyday life.

A natural radioactivity is constantly present on Earth. Some unstable particles originated “in the oven” of the Big Bang, and their half-disintegration period is comparable to the age of the universe. To this is added the ionizing radiation from space (cosmic radiation). But, on a normal scale, it is not dangerous to living beings.

A completely different picture emerges with atomic bombings or man-made disasters with high magnitude emissions of ionizing particles. The energy produced by the division of radioactive nuclei “takes away” the electrons from the atoms of the cells, which leads to a change in their functions. And this is how radiation poisoning appears.

The first symptoms of the disease (nausea, vomiting and disorientation) are produced when radioactive particles penetrate the body through the skin, with the air that is inhaled or along with food. Therefore, the main task of doctors in the first stage of treatment is to eliminate active particles through drugs and stomach washes. When someone is exposed to high doses of radioactivity, that person develops the most acute form of this disease. The patient mainly suffers from complications related to his hematopoietic system. In this case, blood transfusions and bone marrow transplantation are used as a possible cure.

The body suffers a special deterioration, in case there has been some damage to both DNA spirals. The patient will not be able to recover properly, so it will fill the free space with random nucleotides. This will cause tissue degeneration and tumor formation. The consequences can manifest themselves over a prolonged period of time. Damage to germ cell chromosomes is inherited and leads to mutations in subsequent generations.

Much will depend on the type of radiation to which a person has been exposed. Nuclear radiation, also called ionizing radiation, transforms the nuclei of its atoms into nuclei of other elements when it interacts with other substances. Meanwhile, particles of different types are formed:

During alpha decay, alpha particles are emitted. Regular clothing will help protect against these particles. Beta particles are much smaller than alpha particles, so they are able to penetrate non-dense materials. A sheet of aluminum or glass can stop this type of radiation. Gamma radiation has the greatest penetrating power. Neither special suits nor gas masks can protect against it. In this case, very dense elements can be used: not only lead, the material with which the plates used by the characters in the series are made, but also steel, tungsten and other heavy metals. Thick concrete walls will also help, an issue that must be taken into account when building underground shelters. Furthermore, during the reaction neutrons are produced. Water, polyethylene and other polymers are able to dissipate their energy.

Deactivation takes place in two ways. Radioactive particles are removed mechanically by means of a jet of water, using brushes and other means. In addition, solutions are used that eliminate those that have penetrated deeply into the materials.

There are other forms of deactivation (for example, the use of electrolytes, ultrasound or laser), but they are less common due to the complexity of their usefulness in large objects.

Characters in the series take iodine pills to protect their endocrine system from radioactive exposure. Some isotopes can participate in metabolism. Ratioactive iodine (iodine-131) is able to accumulate in the thyroid gland, replacing the “normal” element.

With iodine deficiency, the thyroid gland indiscriminately accumulates any type of iodine. So it is important to provide her with the stable element. However, ingesting this as a preventive measure is not only meaningless, it is also dangerous, as it can trigger thyroid disease.

Everything is very simple: the closer to the Sun, the more radiation. Only a small part of cosmic radiation reaches the Earth’s surface. But the higher we rise to heaven, the greater the dose we receive. Residents of equatorial latitudes are more exposed than those whose homes are located closer to the poles.

Employees in the aviation industry are exposed to more radiation in a year than workers at nuclear power plants. And sailors on nuclear submarines are the least exposed to it: they are protected from radiation reaching the Earth by a layer of water, and, in addition, the nuclear installation is reliably protected by lead walls.

Radiation reaches us not only outside, but inside buildings, which also radiate it. The fact is that sand and rubble contain natural radionuclides. But, don’t panic! In the construction of residential houses, it is allowed to use only safe materials with the lowest levels of radiation, and this process is regulated by various laws.

After the explosion at Chernobyl, a number of very dangerous radioactive particles found their way into food. However, in our everyday life, we are surrounded by products that contain natural radiation, and sometimes its level is quite high.

The most common bananas, which are considered beneficial due to their high potassium content, contain the isotope of this element, potassium-40, in such quantities that the ionizing radiation created by exported batches of bananas sets off alarms at borders between countries. Due to this property of food, employees who work with nuclear energy introduced the concept of “dose equivalent to a banana” to name leaks of small doses of ionizing radiation.

Banana lovers need not worry: food grown in the soil with a radiation level within the norm is considered safe. In total, through food we receive around 10% of the annual level of radiation. Indeed, due to the consumption of substances containing radioactive elements, a person also becomes a source of ionizing radiation.

As with radiation exposure from biological organisms, a high level of ionizing radiation deteriorates the atoms that make up electronic devices. Semiconductors are the most affected. The acoustic waves that appear at the moment of impact of a high-energy particle on the surface of the devices lead to the appearance of hidden defects. As a result, the German robot shown in the series has been harmed and cannot carry out its mission.

But the helicopters didn’t crash because of the radiation. the scene in Chernobyl it’s dramatic license. The tragedy really happened, but not in the first days after the explosion, but 6 months later: October 2, 1986. During the work to minimize the consequences of the accident, the helicopter pilot did not see the cable of the construction crane that was next to the power unit and hooked it to the aircraft’s propeller.

And you, have you seen the series? Chernobyl🇧🇷 If so, what questions came up after watching it? Tell us in the comments section!