Mitigating Radioactive Contamination: Safeguarding the Environment

Name Institutional Affiliations Date Radioactive Contamination of Environment One can define radioactive contamination as the unintended/undesirable presence of radioactive substances in the environment like on surfaces, within liquids, gases, or solids (Osimobi, Avwiri, and Agbalagba, 2018). The radioactive exposure to the environment contaminates the touched surfaces, water, air, buildings, plants, soil, animals, and people. It is imperative to note that regardless of the nature of an ionizing radiation-related incident, irradiation, external contamination with radioactive materials, and internal contamination with radioactive materials become realized. Internal contamination occurs when people breathe or swallow radioactive materials. It can also occur through an open wound which enables radioactive materials to become quickly absorbed in the body through the skin. Though some radioactive materials become eliminated through sweat, blood, feces, and urine, some stay in the body and remain deposited in various body organs. External contamination occurs when radioactive materials contact a person's skin, cloth, or hair. Some of these radioactive materials come in dust, liquid, or powder. Unfortunately, externally contaminated people can become internally contaminated if the radioactive materials come into contact with their bodies. Depositing radioactive materials in or on an object or person excellently defines radioactive contamination. It releases radioactive materials into the environment that causes contaminations on surfaces, plants, buildings, people, animals, and soil. Last but not lea