| Materials and Sources: |
Americium 241 (used in exploratory oil drilling and density gauges), Cesium 137 (industrial radiography gauges, food irradiators), Cobalt 60 (medical therapy, industrial irradiators, radiography), Iridium 192 (industrial uses and medical therapy), Strontium 90 (industrial heating devices) |
| Effects: |
Unlikely to cause radiation fatalities but results in psychological trauma and adverse economic impact, including high cleanup costs. Danger from flying objects, increased long-term risk of cancers. Radiation sickness unlikely. Severity of injury depends on proximity to blast, duration of exposure, and type of radioactive material. |
| Treatment†: |
After significant doses to the whole body, victims experience immunosuppression and bleeding, and should be treated for infection and given platelet transfusions. Radiation burns can be treated as any other burn injury. Therapies include the use of cytokines currently used to treat leukemia, lymphoma, aplastic anemia, and AIDS. Drugs such as calcium or zinc, DTPA (diethylenetriamine-pentaacetic acid) and Prussian blue are used to treat internal contamination.* |
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