Describe How Monitoring of the Environment, the Public, Workers and the Workplace Can Be Used to Control the Pollution Cause by Ionising Radiation (20)

There are three types of radiation and they all pose a threat to living tissue and should therefore be monitored in the environment and in workplaces that using radioactive substances. Gamma rays are the least ionising but have a very large range and can only be stopped by a few cm of lead. Alpha is the most ionising but has the least range at a few cm and can be stopped by skin. Radioactivity in the environment is measured in many different ways, an example is air monitoring in which a device called a Geiger counter is used to measure radiation in the atmosphere. This method of radiation monitoring is also used in places such as workplaces that use radioactive materials, there are currently 1000 of these companies in the UK currently. Radiation may also be monitored in water, there are many sensitive habitats found near and in water ways therefore it is important to measure water quality. This is done in two ways, water is collected and tested in a laboratory but sample of the sediments in the water are also taken which may have traces of radiation in it or even a radioactive material itself.   If radiation can find its way into water then it can also find its way into living organisms. Living organism can be tested for radiation, to test if the living organisms are being exposed a Geiger counter can be used to determine the levels. To test if there has been internal exposure special test have to be done in laboratories, the most dangerous radiation is alpha as it only has a short ranges do us very ionising and therefore laboratory tests have to be done.   Biological indicators are another way of identifying wether there may be radiation in an area. Sensitive organism will not be found if there is radiation but mammals on the other hand may thrive such as wolves as the sight of Chernobyl. Radiation is also monitored at workplaces that use radioactive materials, these materials are often closed off from workers and workers often wear badges which can sense radiation...