Difference Between Irradiation and Contamination

Another word for radiation exposure is irradiation. Radioactive materials give off a form of energy that travels in waves or particles. ... A person exposed to radiation is not necessarily contaminated with radioactive material. For a person to be contaminated, radioactive material must be on or inside of his or her body.

1. What does irradiation mean?
2. What is meant by radioactive contamination?
3. What is irradiation and examples?
4. What is irradiation of food?
5. Does irradiation kill viruses?
6. Why is irradiation of food bad?
7. What is the definition of contamination?
8. Can a human body become radioactive?
9. Can you pass radiation from person to person?
10. What are the dangers of irradiation?
11. Are bananas irradiated?
12. What is the process of irradiation?

What does irradiation mean?

1 : exposure to radiation (such as X-rays or alpha particles) 2 : the application of radiation (such as X-rays or gamma rays) for therapeutic purposes or for sterilization (as of food) also : partial or complete sterilization by irradiation.

What is meant by radioactive contamination?

Radioactive contamination occurs when radioactive material is deposited on or in an object or a person. Radioactive materials released into the environment can cause air, water, surfaces, soil, plants, buildings, people, or animals to become contaminated.

What is irradiation and examples?

Irradiation refers to the exposure of a substance to radiation from a variety different sources. ... Some examples of ionizing radiation include electronics, visible and infrared light, microwaves, and electromagnetic waves (e.g., radio waves, power, and electronic receivers).

What is irradiation of food?

Food irradiation (the application of ionizing radiation to food) is a technology that improves the safety and extends the shelf life of foods by reducing or eliminating microorganisms and insects. Like pasteurizing milk and canning fruits and vegetables, irradiation can make food safer for the consumer.

Does irradiation kill viruses?

Food irradiation cannot kill viruses.

Why is irradiation of food bad?

Too bad because food irradiation can reduce the risk of bacterial food poisoning, but public fear keeps the technology from being more widely applied than it currently is. ... The idea behind food irradiation is to destroy bacteria by exposing them to free radicals which are highly reactive and can interrupt cell division.

What is the definition of contamination?

the act of contaminating, or of making something impure or unsuitable by contact with something unclean, bad, etc. the act of contaminating, or of rendering something harmful or unusable by the addition of radioactive material: the contamination of food following a nuclear attack.

Can a human body become radioactive?

Exposure to radiation does not immediately make a person radioactive. The only type of radiation that is capable of directly causing other material to become radioactive is neutron radiation, which is generally only found inside nuclear reactors or in a nuclear detonation.

Can you pass radiation from person to person?

But once a person's skin and clothing are washed, his or her ability to expose others to radiation is eliminated, Caracappa said. "If they ingested or inhaled radioactive material and it has been deposited inside of them, there is no way that they're going to transfer that to other people."

What are the dangers of irradiation?

Research also shows that irradiation forms volatile toxic chemicals such as benzene and toluene, chemicals known, or suspected, to cause cancer and birth defects. Irradiation also causes stunted growth in lab animals fed irradiated foods.

Are bananas irradiated?

Some potassium is always taken in via the diet, and some is always excreted, meaning that there is no buildup of radioactive potassium. So, while bananas are indeed radioactive, the dose of radioactivity they deliver does not pose a risk.

What is the process of irradiation?

Irradiation is the process by which an object is exposed to radiation. ... The term irradiation usually excludes the exposure to non-ionizing radiation, such as infrared, visible light, microwaves from cellular phones or electromagnetic waves emitted by radio and TV receivers and power supplies.