Protection against the dangers of ionizing radiation

Overview

ABSTRACT

The sources of ionizing radiation exposure which are used daily are multiple and the derived risks extremely variable. The consequences are sometimes potentially lethal from nuclear catastrophes to the dangers of medical radiotherapy. In addition, in certain domains, ionizing radiation never causes particular types of incidents. After having recalled certain basic notions, this article focuses on all the protection means against exposure to natural or artificial ionizing radiations, their biological effects, the physical quantities which quantify their impact on matter, the radioprotection rules and the regulation in force.

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AUTHORS

Alain BIAU: Institute for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), Scientific Department
Jean-Pierre VIDAL: Institute for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), Scientific Department

INTRODUCTION

There are many sources of exposure to ionizing radiation in daily use, and the risks involved are highly variable, from insignificant in some cases to potentially fatal in others.

When we think of the dangers of ionizing radiation, the first thing that comes to mind is military nuclear power, marked in history by Hiroshima (1945), civil nuclear power, called into question by the Chernobyl accident (1986), or radiotherapy facilities in medical environments, recently linked to the painful events in Épinal and Toulouse.

However, it should be noted that ionizing radiation is widely used in areas that are much less well known, and which have never given rise to any particular incidents, either because the potential risk is so low, or because the protective measures and regulations are respected and effective.

We propose to review the means of protection against exposure to ionizing radiation of natural or artificial origin, after recalling a few basic facts about ionizing radiation, its origins, its biological effects, the physical quantities that quantify its impact on matter, the rules of radiation protection and current regulations.