Phosphogypsum and its Hazardous Radioactive Properties
The EPA reported that most of the naturally occurring uranium, thorium and radium found in phosphate rock ends up as phosphogypsum waste. Uranium and thorium decay to radium and radium decays to radon, a radioactive gas. Because these wastes are concentrated, phosphogypsum is radioactive and presents hazards to the environment and to people that are exposed. The Genetic Justice Team is investigating these exposures resulting from phosphate mining activity in Florida.
Radiation Health Effects
Radioactive materials can emit three different types of radiation: alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma rays. Alpha particles are positively charged and large, so they can be blocked by a mere sheet of paper. Beta particles are much smaller and can penetrate thin layers of material. Gamma rays are powerful photons and can penetrate even lead.
Alpha particles: The health effect from exposure to alpha particles depends greatly on how a person is exposed. Alpha particles lack the energy to penetrate even the outer layer of skin, so exposure to the outside of the body is not a major concern. Inside the body, however, they can be very harmful. If alpha-emitters are inhaled, swallowed, or get into the body through a cut, the alpha particles can damage sensitive living tissue. The damage caused by these large, heavy particles makes them more dangerous than other types of radiation. The ionizations they cause are very close together - they can release all their energy in a few cells. This results in more severe damage to cells and DNA.
Beta Particles: Beta particles are more penetrating than alpha particles but are less damaging to living tissue and DNA because the ionizations they produce are more widely distributed. They travel farther in air than alpha particles, but can be stopped by a layer of clothing or by a thin layer of a substance such as aluminum. Some beta particles are capable of penetrating the skin and causing damage such as skin burns. However, as with alpha-emitters, beta-emitters are most hazardous when they are inhaled or swallowed.
Gamma Rays: Gamma rays are a radiation hazard for the entire body. They can easily penetrate barriers that can stop alpha and beta particles, such as skin and clothing. Gamma rays have so much penetrating power that several inches of a dense material like lead, or even a few feet of concrete may be required to stop them. Gamma rays can pass completely through the human body; as they pass through, they can cause ionizations that damage tissue and DNA.
Environmental Protection Agency. (2019, June). Radiation Basics. Retrieved from www.epa.gov: EPA
The Genetic Justice Team Is Here For You
At The Genetic Justice Team, we rely on technology to determine toxic impact. Our teams conduct free environmental testing for select communities. Through these testing efforts, we hope to better determine if toxic substances exist within a community.