Browse By. Explained: rad, rem, sieverts, becquerels. A guide to terminology about radiation exposure. David L. Publication Date :. Some reports talk about millisieverts while others talk about rem or becquerels, when what most people really want to know is much simpler: Can I drink the milk?
Is it safe to go home? Should people in California be worried? There are a number of reasons for the confusion. Others are more subtle: The difference between the raw physical units describing radiation emitted by a radioactive material measured in units like curies and becquerels , versus measurements designed to reflect the different amounts of radiation energy absorbed by a mass of material measured in rad or gray , and those that measure the relative biological damage in the human body using rem and sieverts , which depends on the type of radiation.
To demonstrate continued effectiveness o. This TechTip will explain the differences between single lot validations and full validations of minimum sterilization dose, and outline the advantages and disadvantages of each of these approaches to dose setting. Prior to beginning routine processing with electron beam E-beam irradiation, a product with a sterile claim needs to complete a validation process to ensure the sterility assurance level claimed is achieved. Learn more about our global offering, which includes electron beam, gamma, X-ray, and ethylene oxide technologies.
Skip to content. Facebook page opens in new window Twitter page opens in new window YouTube page opens in new window Linkedin page opens in new window. Radiation Units Defined. Units of measure used in radiation processing When ionizing radiation interacts with an object, energy is transferred from the radioactive material to the exposed object.
Such interventions prepare food for intercontinental travel by giving it a longer shelf life. Radioactive Cobalt isotope is used to treat food products to kill bacteria. Researchers in the area are working on determining radiation levels that provide a balance between killing microorganisms and preserving the original taste of the food. Currently, most foods are processed with radiation under 10 kilograys 10, grays , but this dose may range from 1 to 30 kilograys depending on the product.
Radiation used in this process can be that of gamma rays or x-rays, as well as radiation of electrons. The food is usually moved through the radiation facility on a conveyor belt and can be pre-packaged. This is similar to the process of sterilizing medical equipment. Different types of radiation have a different range of penetration, thus the type of radiation is selected based on the food type. For example, irradiating hamburger patties may be done with electron irradiation, while deeper penetration of x-ray radiation is needed to irradiate bird carcasses.
The radioactive isotopes do not stay inside the food itself, so this is not a concern in food irradiation. Nonetheless, food irradiation is a controversial subject because the radioactive materials need to be produced, transported safely to the food plants, and handled carefully. This does not always occur, and a wide range of accidents, leaks, malfunctions, and other problems is reported at various irradiation facilities across the globe. Another concern is that irradiation will result in a decrease in sanitation and the use of proper safety handling techniques in the food processing industry.
Some think that irradiation is becoming a cover-up for inappropriate handling of food at the plants and that it also encourages unsafe food handling among consumers. Irradiation can decrease the nutritional content of foods because it destroys or deteriorates some vitamins and microflora that is needed for digestion and other functions.
Some researchers that oppose food irradiation also believe that it increases carcinogens and toxic elements in food. Many countries currently only allow irradiation of spices and herbs. However, the nuclear industry, which is involved in producing the radioactive isotopes used in food irradiation, is lobbying in many countries to allow irradiation of other food products such as meat, grains, fruits, and vegetables. Countries that do allow irradiation generally require either an explicit irradiation label logo, the radura, on the packaging, or to include the information about irradiated foods in the list of ingredients.
This may not apply to products contained inside processed foods, and restaurants may not be required to inform consumers on whether or not they serve food made from irradiated ingredients. This is a problem because it revokes the choice from the consumers on whether to eat irradiated products.
Finally, food irradiation is costly and it increases the cost for many of the foods that are irradiated. People who are exposed to radiation at work are often required to wear special devices, dosimeters, to determine whether the cumulative dose of radiation they receive is safe. Astronauts, workers at nuclear power plants, response and decontamination teams that work with hazardous materials, as well as doctors working in the area of nuclear medicine are some of the people who are required to wear these dosimeters.
The dosimeters can sometimes inform the user when a particular set dose has been exceeded, for example with an alarm. This total dose is often measured in sieverts. Despite the rules in place, some countries do not enforce them or did not do so in the past. For example, during the Chernobyl cleanup efforts early in the disaster, doses recorded for the workers were not based on the actual measurements.
According to the eyewitness accounts, instead, the doses were fabricated based on an estimate of the radiation in the area where one was assigned work for the day. This article was written by Kateryna Yuri.
Unit Converter articles were edited and illustrated by Anatoly Zolotkov. Radioactive Decay Converter. Do you have difficulty translating a measurement unit into another language? Help is available! Post your question in TCTerms and you will get an answer from experienced technical translators in minutes. The absorbed dose characterized the amount of damage done to the matter especially living tissues by ionizing radiation.
The absorbed dose is more closely related to the amount of energy deposited. The sievert Sv is the International System of Units SI derived unit of equivalent radiation dose, effective dose, and committed dose. One sievert is the amount of radiation necessary to produce the same effect on living tissue as one gray of high-penetration x-rays. Quantities that are measured in sieverts are designed to represent the biological effects of ionizing radiation.
This online unit converter allows quick and accurate conversion between many units of measure, from one system to another. The Unit Conversion page provides a solution for engineers, translators, and for anyone whose activities require working with quantities measured in different units. Learn Technical English with Our Videos!
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Note: Integers numbers without a decimal period or exponent notation are considered accurate up to 15 digits and the maximum number of digits after the decimal point is In this calculator, E notation is used to represent numbers that are too small or too large. E-notation is commonly used in calculators and by scientists, mathematicians and engineers.
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