ABSTRACT
There are two major types of radiological weapons: the nuclear bomb and the dirty bomb. The dirty bomb can contain one or more radioactive isotopes that are commercially available. Nuclear bombs include the atom bomb, hydrogen bomb, and neutron bomb. An explosion of a dirty bomb can release radioactive isotopes into the atmosphere emitting gamma radiation and/or beta radiation, depending upon the types of radioactive isotope used in making the bomb. For example, a dirty bomb may contain 90Sr emitting only beta radiation, 137CS emitting only gamma rays, 131I emitting both beta and gamma rays, or a combination of all three radioactive isotopes. On the other hand, an explosion of an atom bomb can release radioactive isotopes into the atmosphere emitting gamma rays, beta radiation, alpha radiation, and neutron radiation that can cause acute radiation sickness (ARS) in humans, if exposed to high doses. The explosion causes radioactive fallout that may contain œssion products, such as 90Sr, 137Cs, and 131I, which would contaminate water, soil, and sources of food for a long time, depending upon the half-lives of the radioactive isotopes. Although not important from the point of view of causing ARS, the radioactive carbon (14C with physical half-life of 5730 years) and radioactive hydrogen tritium (3H with a physical half-life of 12.3 years) can also contaminate water, soil, and sources of food. These radioactive isotopes, when ingested, can induce gene mutations.
