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Positive Side of . . .
Uranium, Radioactivity, and Nuclear Technologies!
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When not handled
properly, or when proper safety procedures are not followed,
radioactive materials can cause harm to our bodies, and possibly
could cause cancer. HOWEVER . . . . the
technology developed from the early discovery of uranium, the
process of fission, and nuclear weapons, has also provided us
with many lifesaving diagnostic tools in the field of Nuclear
Medicine! These medical tools, and radioactive materials are
essential elements in medical research, cures for cancer, and
the safety of industrial processes.
For example:
Early uranium miners
were exposed to elevated levels of radon gas and thus the
decay products of radon. These miners showed an increased
risk of lung cancer. So with that knowledge in hand, modern
mines have increased ventilation rates to prevent this type
of exposure.
In addition, radium
present in the mill tailings of the uranium extraction process
and used to paint glow-in-the dark watch and clock dials,
was not disposed of properly in some areas in the past. This
improper handling of radium caused many cases of cancer in
watch-dial painters who licked the brushes and ingested the
radium in the paint. Improper disposal of the waste from these
industries also contaminated homes, parks, and buildings across
the United States. With those concerns in mind, steps have
been taken to inform the public of such risks and reduce the
possibility of such exposures.
There are many beneficial
uses of radiation and radioactivity -- for example, radiation
is frequently used for cancer treatments, where tumors are exposed
to high levels of radiation in a controlled setting. Using radiation
alone or in addition to chemotherapy, persons with leukemia,
lung cancer, cervical cancer, bone cancer, Hodgkin's Disease,
and thyroid cancers have been cured.
In addition radioactive materials such as tritium, carbon-14,
sulfur-35, phosphorus-32 and others produced in nuclear reactors
are used to label cells, proteins, and various chemicals. These
labelled chemicals have allowed us to unlock the mysteries of
the human brain, diagnose disease, and study the human body
(both it's genetics and physiology)!
National
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
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