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Radiation exposure
As fears of a meltdown in Japan rise, so do the fears of radiation exposure.
What does radiation do to the human body?

BACKGROUND RADIATION Radiation SYMPTOMS OF RADIATION EXPOSURE

Everybody is exposed to both naturally- exposure is Generally speaking, radiation sickness is brought on by a large dosage
occurring and artificial background radiation; measured in units of radiation in a short period of time, but it has also occurred
levels typically range from 0.0015 – 0.0035 called sieverts with long term exposure.
Sv/year: (Sv).
Early symptoms, exposure levels
and time to symptom onset
Radon gas
from the Buildings/
Medical 1–2 Sv 2–6 Sv 6–8 Sv 8–10 Sv
ground the ground Nuclear power/ Nausea, 6 hrs. 2 hrs. 1 hr. 10 min.
weapons vomiting
Artificial tests Thyroid gland:
sources High cancer risk as the Diarrhea — 8 hrs. 3 hrs. 1 hr.
Food/ thyroid absorbs Headache — 24 hrs. 4 hrs. 2 hrs.
Cosmic Other
drink rays radioactive iodine-131 Fever — 3 hrs. 1 hr. 1 hr.
Later symptoms
Lungs: Inflammation Dizziness,
COMPARING EXPOSURES and scarring disorientation — — 1 wk. Immediate
Weakness, 4 wks. 1–4 wks. 1 wk. Immediate
10 Sv Fatal within weeks Red blood cells: fatigue
Low platelet count, Hair loss, — 1–4 wks. 1 wk. Immediate
Typical levels in Chernobyl workers spontaneous bleeding bloody vomit
6 who died within a month and stools,
infections,
A single dose would kill half of those Stomach: Nausea,
5 exposed within a month vomiting, internal
poor wound
healing, low
bleeding blood pressure
A single dose could cause radiation
1 sickness and nausea
Small/large
0.4
Detected level at Fukushima intestine: Diarrhea, CHANCES OF DEATH
(as of Tuesday morning in Japan)
Exposure of relocated Chernobyl
bleeding, destruction
of lining BASED ON EXPOSURE LEVEL
0.35 residents 5–100% 95–100% 50–100%
100%
Recommended limit for people Bone marrow:
Depletion of white
0.10 working with radiation
blood cells (up to 50%
Without
medical
every 5 years
within 48 hours), care
The Japanese
0.01 Full-body CT scan government has
leading to high risk of
infection With
recommended medical
Typical natural radiation evacuation within the care
0.002 per year 30 km radius of
5–50%

Fukushima, and so far

0.0004 Mammogram x-ray there is no threat to the
Tokyo metro Radiation
area. exposure can also
increase the chances
0.0001 Chest x-ray
of developing cancer,
tumours, and genetic 0–5% 0–5%
0.00001 Dental x-ray damage.
1–2 Sv 2–6 Sv 6–8 Sv 8-30 Sv
Sources: guardian.co.uk; World Nuclear Association; Wikipedia; Graphic News;
Mayo Clinic; sciencemag.org; e.nikkei.com MEGAN DINNER/QMI AGENCY