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Uranium-238 decay chain
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Uranium 238 Decay chain
WashU Engineers in the Community Fall 2022
Radiation
Radiation is an emission of energy or particles from a source that travel through space.
Non-ionizing and ionizing are the two types of radiation.
Electromagnetic spectrum
(From EPA.gov)
What does this mean for you?
Title
Radiation is everywhere.
Non-ionizing radiation examples: radio waves, visible light, and microwaves.
Ionizing radiation examples:
x-ray machines, cosmic particles from outer space, radioactive elements.
Ionization
Ionizing radiation is the process of high-energy particles knocking electrons out of atoms.
Three types of ionizing radiation:
Alpha particles, Beta particles, and Gamma rays.
Visual of particles/rays and their different capabilities of penetration
(From arpansa.gov.au)
Title
What does this mean for you?
All decay products in uranium's series, for each atom present, emit 3 million particles/rays per second
Alpha Particles
Alpha particles are made up of two protons and two neutrons from the atom's nucleus and are positvely charged.
They are heavy and are unable to travel far from the atom.
They travel a few centimeters in air and less than a tenth of a millimeter in tissue.
What does this mean for you?
Title
- If extreme doses are inhaled, swallowed or gets into the blood stream they can damage tissue, cells, and DNA
- More dangerous than other types of radiation
- Can't penetrate skin, but can damage the cornea of an eye
- Normally only a concern if inside the body
Beta Particles
Beta particles are negatively charged and are emitted from an atom's nucleus during radioactive decay.
They can travel tens of centimeters in air and a few millimeters in material, skin, and tissue.
What does this mean for you?
Title
- Beta particles cause skin burns like severe sunburn
- Less damaging to tissue, organs, and DNA when inhaled or swallowed compared to alpha particles
Gamma Rays
Gamma rays are weightless photons that are made up of pure energy. They are similar to visible light but have higher energy.
These rays are often emitted along with beta particles during radioactive decay.
They can penetrate through skin and clothing. A few feet of concerete are required to stop them.
What does this mean for you?
Title
- Burns occur instantly
- Nausea, fatigue, and vomiting appear hours later
- Hair loss occurs few weeks to months after
- High exposure can damage tissue and DNA
- Low level exposures can cause cancer with increased exposure.
Decay chain
Radionuclides are a radioactive form of elements.
Radioactive decay is the emission of energy in the form of ionizing radiation.
A radioactive decay chain is a sequence of radionuclides in which the decay of one radionuclide creates a new one, ending with a stable nonradioactive atom.
Radionuclides decay rate is measured by their
half-life, the time required for half of the radionuclide atoms present to decay.
What does this mean for you?
All radionuclides and their decay products of the uranium series, actinium series, and thorium series are present at West Lake Landfill
Title
Lead-210
Uranium-238
Uranium series
-230's half-life is 77,000 years
Releases alpha particles and weak gamma rays
Found as a metal
-226's half-life is 1600 years
Releases alpha particles and gamma rays
Found as a metal
Uranium series
-222's half-life is 3.82 days
Releases alpha particles
Found as a gas
Lead-206
Bismuth-214
Uranium-238
Uranium-238
(From metadata.berkeley.edu)
Half-life is
Releases alpha particles and weak gamma rays
Found as a metal
Source: https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/local/landfill-cleanup-slowed-after-more-nuclear-waste-found-ap/63-7ca9ce6a-2387-4e49-817d-edced92cf400
Title
What does this mean for you?
Uranium-238
(From metadata.berkeley.edu)
Uranium-238 is the least radioactive out of other Uranium radionuclides
Can contaminate water, soil, and air
Routes of exposure are inhalation and ingestion
Up to 66% is distributed and stored in bone if gets into the system
Most likely to cause chemical toxicity
Studies have not shown a clear connection between chemical toxicity of Uranium and cancer
What does this mean for you?
Title
- If extreme doses are inhaled, swallowed or gets into the blood stream they can damage tissue, cells, and DNA
- More dangerous than other types of radiation
- Can't penetrate skin, but can damage the cornea of an eye
- Normally only a concern if inside the body
What does this mean for you?
Title
- Burns occur instantly
- Nausea, fatigue, and vomiting appear hours later
- Hair loss occurs few weeks to months after
- High exposure can damage tissue and DNA
- Low level exposures can cause cancer with increased exposure.
Title
What does this mean for you?
Thorium-230
(From metadata.berkeley.edu)
Thorium-230 is a known carcinogen that can cause changes in your blood, nervous, liver, reticuloendothelial, and respiratory system
Can contaminate water, soil, and air
Routes of exposure include inhalation and ingestion
Increases chance of lung and bone cancer and damage to organs with repeated expoure
Title
What does this mean for you?
Radium-226
(From metadata.berkeley.edu)
Radium-226 is a known carcinogen
Can contaminate rocks, soil, water, plants, and aquatic animals
Routes of exposure include inhalation and ingestion
Increases risk of lung and bone cancer over many years of exposure
High doses causes anemia, cataracts, broken teeth, and reduced bone growth
Title
What does this mean for you?
Radon-222
(From metadata.berkeley.edu)
Radon-222 is a carcinogenic gas and the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States
Found in many rocks, soils, sediments, water, and air
Routes of exposure include inhalation and ingestion
They can attach to particles in the air, travel far distances and be carried into your bodies respiratory tract
They enter buildings through cracks and openings in the foundation or basement along with the water supply
What does this mean for you?
Title
- If extreme doses are inhaled, swallowed or gets into the blood stream they can damage tissue, cells, and DNA
- More dangerous than other types of radiation
- Can't penetrate skin, but can damage the cornea of an eye
- Normally only a concern if inside the body
- Normally only a concern if the atom is already inside the body
What does this mean for you?
Title
- Burns occur instantly
- Nausea, fatigue, and vomiting appear hours later
- Hair loss occurs few weeks to months after
- High exposure can damage tissue and DNA
- Low level exposures can cause cancer with increased exposure.
Bismuth-214
The half-life is 19.9 minutes
Releases beta particles and gamma rays
Found as a metal
Bismuth-214
(From metadata.berkeley.edu)
Source: https://patch.com/missouri/florissant/fire-expert-landfill-fire--west-lake-radioactive-material--potentially-tragic-ending_7303cfb6
Title
What does this mean for you?
Bismuth-214
(From metadata.berkeley.edu)
Bismuth-214 is a solid at room temperature and currently not considered carinogenic
Routes of exposure include inhalation, ingestion, and absorption
Can easily be absorbed by the body and can contribute to male infertility
Can cause skin reactions, diarrhea, albumin in the urine, and fatal poisoning when large amounts get into the system
What does this mean for you?
Title
- Beta particles cause skin burns like severe sunburn
- Less damaging to tissue, organs, and DNA when inhaled or swallowed compared to alpha particles
What does this mean for you?
Title
- Burns occur instantly
- Nausea, fatigue, and vomiting appear hours later
- Hair loss occurs few weeks to months after
- High exposure can damage tissue and DNA
- Low level exposures can cause cancer with increased exposure.
Lead-210
Half life is 22.3 years
Releases beta particles
Found as a metal
Lead-210
(From metadata.berkeley.edu)
Source: https://dnr.mo.gov/waste-recycling/sites-regulated-facilities/federal/west-lake-landfill
What does this mean for you?
Lead-210
(From metadata.berkeley.edu)
Title
Lead-210 is a known carcinogen to cause reproductive problems
Routes of exposure include inhalation, ingestion, and absorption
Long term exposure causes anaemia, increase in blood pressure, damage to kidneys, brain, and nervous system
Extreme levels result in death
What does this mean for you?
Title
- Beta particles cause skin burns like severe sunburn
- Less damaging to tissue, organs, and DNA when inhaled or swallowed compared to alpha particles
Lead-206
Lead-206
(From metadata.berkeley.edu)
Stable nonradioactive metal which ends the uranium-238 series
A known carcinogen
To get here, the decay chain must pass through every other step
What does this mean for you?
At any point in the decay process where gamma rays are emitted poses a threat to their surrondings
Ionizing radiation escaping West Lake Lanfill leads to radionuclides and their decay products escaping into the environment
Title
Elements Present at West Lak Landfill
(from: http://www.stlradwastelegacy.com/home-2/)