Properties of radiation
www.uraniumsa.org
- ALPHA radiation has very little penetrating power. Materials that emit alpha radiation outside the body are harmless, since they are already stopped by the skin. But when these materials enter the body through inhalation or swallowing, they may be harmful.
- BETA radiation is able to penetrate further through up to 1 or 2cm of tissue. Outside the body materials that emit beta radiation may be harmful to the surface tissue of the body; when such materials enter the body, they may harm the organs in which they are present.
- GAMMA radiation penetrates even further and is able to go straight through the body. This may harm the organs in the body. X-rays are the same nature as gamma rays and can also affect the organs in the body.
The Electromagnetic Spectrum
The radiation caused by the sun is ultraviolet as shown in the diagram above. Ultraviolet radiation: Invisible rays that are part of the energy that comes from the sun. Ultraviolet radiation can burn the skin and cause .
Ultraviolet radiation is made up of three types of rays -- ultraviolet A, ultraviolet B, and ultraviolet C. Although ultraviolet C is the most dangerous type of ultraviolet light in terms of its potential to harm life on earth, it cannot penetrate earth's protective ozone layer. Therefore, it poses no threat to human, animal or plant life on earth.
Ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B, on the other hand, do penetrate the ozone layer in attenuated form and reach the surface of the planet. Because ultraviolet A is weaker than ultraviolet B, scientists long blamed ultraviolet B as the sole culprit in causing in persons with a history of sunburn and repeated overexposure to ultraviolet radiation. Recent research, however, has also implicated ultraviolet A as a possible cause of skin cancer.
Ultraviolet B rays are more likely than ultraviolet A rays to cause sunburn, but ultraviolet A passes further into the skin. Scientists have long thought that ultraviolet B can cause and other types of skin cancer. They now think that ultraviolet A may add to skin damage that can lead to cancer. For this reason, skin specialists recommend that people use sunscreens that block both kinds of radiation.
In addition to natural light from the sun, artificial light from tanning lamps contains ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B. Electric arc lamps can also generate ultraviolet light to heat furnaces for melting and to enable motion-picture projectors to show movies.
Though ultraviolet light can damage health, it can also maintain or improve health. When ultraviolet light strikes human skin, it triggers the production of vitamin D, which promotes the growth of bones and teeth.
What is Cancer?
Cancer is a disease that affects the cells of the infected area by the cells reproducing and growing in uncontrollable and alarming rates. This can be caused by the cells being ionised by radiation like that of x-rays or by gamma radiation. The uncontrollable growth forms a tumour, which if found out about in the early stages can stop it from growing further or spreading by that of surgical removal. If it isn’t caught in the early stages them it can break free from the tumour and spread around the body affecting multiple organs and causing multiple cancers.
The symptoms of some well known cancers:
- Brain cancer: Dizziness; drowsiness; abnormal eye movements or changes in vision; weakness, loss of feeling in arms or legs or difficulties in walking; fits or convulsions; changes in personality, memory or speech; headaches that tend to be worse in the morning and ease during the day, that may be accompanied by nausea or vomiting
- Breast cancer: A lump or thickening of the breast; discharge from the nipple; change in the skin of the breast; a feeling of heat; or enlarged lymph nodes under the arm
- Lung cancer: Wheezing, persistent cough for months; blood-streaked sputum; persistent ache in chest; congestion in lungs; enlarged lymph nodes in the neck
- Leukaemia: Weakness, paleness; fever and flu-like symptoms; bruising and prolonged bleeding; enlarged lymph nodes, spleen, liver; pain in bones and joints; frequent infections; weight loss; night sweats
- Melanoma: Change in mole or other bump on the skin, including bleeding or change in size, shape, colour, or texture
Skin cancer is one of the common cancers, also known as melanoma in some cases, and can be caught by using sunbeds. Sunbeds work by firstly a person who thinks they look bad lying underneath the lid and it being closed then the sunbed emits UV light, which also a type of radiation can be absorbed by the DNA and then the absorbed energy breaks down the bonds between the DNA. Some of the breakages are repaired over time with proteins but some don’t and lead to cancer like skin cancer
Arguments for and against.
Some people argue that “Being tanned makes me feel healthy and attractive” but research has told us that a tan is a sign that your skin is trying to protect itself from ultraviolet (UV) damage - not a sign of health. Sunbeds give out ultraviolet rays, which are a direct cause of skin cancer. The UV rays from the sun and sunbeds have the same effect on your skin. Often sunbeds use a higher strength of UV rays. UV rays also cause early ageing of skin, resulting in wrinkling, sagging and yellowish or brown discolouration.
Many people who use sunbeds also get skin irritations such as redness, itchiness and dryness. Sunbeds can cause damage to your eyes such
as irritation and conjunctivitis.. (www.careinthesun.org)
Another question which is often asked is “Sunbed tanning is a lot safer than sun tanning, isn't it?”
Sunbeds do not offer 'safe tanning'. Some sunbeds can give out UV rays many times stronger that the midday summer sun. Fast tanning machines are particularly dangerous as they produce UV rays in higher doses. It is difficult for the customer to be aware of the strength and type of radiation, and the safety of sunbed equipment. ()
In addition to sunburn, the use of sunbeds has been associated with short-term adverse effects such as dark skin patches and a form of skin fragility. Sunbeds have also been reported to induce or aggravate the symptoms of (), an disease affecting the skin and other organs.
Sunbeds can also cause adverse reactions in people who use certain medications or who eat plants or use aromatherapy products that contain certain chemicals that make their skin more sensitive and reactive to light.
Moreover, they can harm the in humans. The role of in reducing the human is well known but that of is less clear. It seems that UVA and UVB interact and that their combined effect on the is greater than the sum of their individual impact. (copublications.greenfacts.org)
There are very few studies on the risk of developing as a result of using sunbeds and the conclusions are not consistent.
A study in 2002 estimated that, for most people who may use sunbeds 10 or 20 times a year for 10 years or so in young adulthood, the lifetime risk of non-melanoma skin cancer is 10% higher compared with non-users. (copublications.greenfacts.org)
There are few studies on the risk of sunbed use and the results vary. However, recent studies have generally found an association between sunbed use and melanoma.
The WHO deems that, based on data available, the risk of developing in connection with the use of sunbeds is high in comparison to the “acceptable” risk of developing from other consumer products. (copublications.greenfacts.org)
A recent study found “moderately strong” evidence that sunbed use results in of the eye, particularly for people who first used a sunbed before the age of 21. The incidence of melanoma of the eye was also found to increase with duration of sunbed use.
Most melanomas begin to grow in the skin, but it is also possible for a melanoma to begin in other parts of the body, such as the eye.
Diagram showing the structure of the eye
Within the eye itself, melanoma can develop in one of several places. Uveal melanoma is the most common type of ocular melanoma. This means it occurs along the uveal tract (the darker ring on the diagram) of the eye, which includes the choroid, ciliary body and iris.(www.cancerbackup.org.uk)
My Opinion
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Science addition 21st century book
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_spectrum
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultraviolet
http://copublications.greenfacts.org/en/sunbeds/l-2/4-health-effects-sunbeds.htm#1
I used the web sites above to research and help me write my case study. I found all of the sites apart from wilkipedia relevant. The other sites had been written by experts in their field where as wilkipedia gave opinions from people who didn’t necessarily work in the field. I am not saying that the information on wilkipedia is incorrect all I am saying is I thought there were more relevant sites for me to use. This case study has been written for a target audience of 15years – 20 years.