SREL Reprint #2355

Risks from Exposure to Radiation

Thomas G. Hinton

Savannah River Ecology Laboratory

Introduction: This chapter introduces the reader to the fundamentals of radioactive contamination and its associated risks. Emphasis is placed on topics that illustrate differences between radioactive and nonradioactive contaminants. Three key pathways by which organisms are exposed to radioactive contamination and the concepts used to calculate dose are highlighted. The effects of exposure to radiation and the data from which risk factors have been derived are presented. Both human and ecological risks are considered. The chapter ends by addressing the widely held view among radiation protection organizations that if man is adequately protected then so are the aquatic and terrestrial biota.

SREL Reprint #2355

Hinton, T.G. 1999. Risks from exposure to radiation. pp. 251-278. In: M.C. Newman (Ed.). Fundamentals of Ecotoxicology. Ann Arbor Press. Chelsea, MI.

This information was provided by the University of Georgia's Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (srel.uga.edu).