Hot particle
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Hot particles are microscopic pieces of radioactive material, which were once thought to be unusually dangerous due to their ability to become lodged in a person's body and deliver a concentrated dose of radiation to a small area. This theory is no longer supported by mainstream medicine, which considers radiation exposure from hot particles to be no more dangerous than an equal amount of radiation from other sources. [1][2]
This ongoing debate is significant due to the possibility of hot particles being produced by nuclear accidents, dirty bombs or fallout from atomic weapons. If hot particle theory is true, these types of radioactive contamination could be much more dangerous then currently believed by mainstream science.
[edit] References
- ^ Charles, M W; A J Mill, P J Darley (2003-03). "Carcinogenic risk of hot-particle exposures". Journal of Radiological Protection 23 (1): 5–28. doi:10.1088/0952-4746/23/1/301. ISSN 0952-4746. http://iopscience.iop.org/0952-4746/23/1/301. Retrieved 2011-08-18.
- ^ Goodhead, D.; R. Bramhall, C. Busby, R. Cox, S. Darby, P. Day, J. Harrison, C. Muirhead, P. Roche, J. Simmons, others (2004). Report of the Committee Examining Radiation Risks of Internal Emitters (CERRIE). London: Committee Examining Radiation Risks of Internal Emitters. ISBN 0-85951-545-1. http://www.cerrie.org/pdfs/cerrie_report_e-book.pdf.