Dirty bomb

This study explores the impact of a simulated radiological dispersal device (RDD) event in an urban area on young adults around 20 years old. The RDD releases radioactive Cs-137 (7.0E+3 Ci), a common industrial sterilization source. The study aims to demonstrate that combining computational codes and epidemiological models can produce valuable data to guide initial actions when confronting a hostile radioactive environment. The HotSpot Health Physics and RESRAD-RDD codes were used in the simulation to evaluate the event's initial phase...

This paper presents DEPDOSE, an open-source computer application that combines the KDEP respiratory tract deposition fractions for inhaled aerosols with DC_PAK committed equivalent dose coefficients for a unit deposition in each region of the respiratory tract. DEPDOSE allows the user to rapidly produce tables of dose coefficients for workers and members of the public inhaling precisely defined, user-specified aerosols using the ICRP Publication 60 methodology. Combined with a plume dispersion modeling system, such as the Quick Urban & Industrial Complex (QUIC) Dispersion Modeling System, this makes it possible to predict radiation doses downstream from an accidental or intentional release of radioactive materials...

Explosive Radiological Dispersal Devices (RDD) - aka dirty bombs - are seen as a credible method to carry out a radiological terror attack. After exploding a radioactive source, the radionuclide-laden plume will be blown downwind of ground zero, with particles falling out and potentially depositing on people caught in and under the cloud. Some of these people may not show any sign of radiation sickness and therefore not realize they have been contaminated and may take the radioactive particulate with them on their daily activities, thus spreading the radioactive particulate outside the initially contaminated area...

Since September 11, 2001, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has increased efforts to prepare the agency and public health partners for response to potential nuclear/radiological disasters. During the week of May 16-20, 2022, the CDC participated in a national-level radiological emergency exercise, Cobalt Magnet 22 (CM22). The exercise scenario consisted of a notional, failed search mission for a radiological dispersal device (RDD, "dirty bomb"), followed by its explosion during a public event in a large US city...

The conflict in Ukraine has raised the specter of radiological and nuclear incidents, including fighting at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, the largest nuclear powerplant in Europe; concerns that a radiological dispersion device ("dirty bomb") may be used; and threats to deploy tactical nuclear weapons. Children are more susceptible than adults to immediate and delayed radiation health effects. This article reviews the diagnosis and treatment of acute radiation syndrome. Although definitive treatment of radiation injuries should involve consultation with specialists, nonspecialists should learn to recognize the distinctive signs of radiation injury and make an initial assessment of severity of exposure...

Experiments simulating radioactive dirty bomb explosions in an urban area were performed at the National Institute of NBC Protection (SUJCHBO v.v.i.), Czech Republic. A solution containing 99mTc radionuclide was dispersed by an explosion on an open-air model of a square covered with filters. Subsequently, spectra of gamma rays originating in contaminated filters were measured by a hand-held NaI(Tl) spectrometer and laboratory HPGe spectrometers. The ambient dose equivalent rate at measuring vessels was set as well...

Dirty bombs are considered one of the easiest forms of radiological terrorism, a form of terrorism based on the deliberate use of radiological material to cause adverse effects in a target population. One U.S. Government official has even described a dirty bomb attack as "all but inevitable". While people in the vicinity of the blast may experience acute radiation effects, people downwind may unknowingly be contaminated by the radioactive airborne particulate and face increased long-term cancer risk. The likelihood of increased cancer risk depends on the radionuclide used and its specific activity, its aerosolization potential, the particle sizes generated in the blast, and where a person is with respect to the detonation...

Nuclear threats such as dirty bombs and illicit trafficking of radioactive sources are major concerns of humanity. Fast detection and accurate localization of radioactive material out of regulatory control (MORC) by autonomous and semi-autonomous monitoring systems like robots can help to reduce radiation exposure to the public and workers, and it will improve security and peace in the world. This study proposes an autonomous radiological monitoring system consisting of a 2-inch NaI detector coupled to a PM tube and mounted on a multi-rotor UAV to detect radioactive sources...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Insecure radioactive materials are the latest worry as Russia continues occupation of infamous nuclear reservation.

Chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive devices can all be used to cause mass disruption and mass casualties. These incidents can occur naturally but are usually associated with terrorism and often require prehospital and hospital care for patients and various precautions for clinicians. It is important to consider for each kind of exposure how clinical and ethical demand for rescue should be balanced against field-based risk of injury, contamination, or death to tactical personnel. Chemical exposures typically require prompt extrication, decontamination, and medical management; biological and radiation exposures generally require donning personal protective equipment; and explosives could contain "dirty bombs" or secondary devices...

In the case of a terrorist attack by a "dirty bomb", blast injuries, external irradiation and the incorporation of radioactivity are to be expected. Departing from information about the radiological attack scenario with cesium-137 in the U.S. National Scenario Planning Guide, we estimated the radiological doses absorbed. Similar calculations were performed for a smaller plume size and a detonation in a subway. For conditions as described in the U.S. scenario, the committed effective dose amounted to a maximum of 848 mSv, even for very unfavorable conditions...

PURPOSE: This review focuses on recent research in understanding the different aspects of what society should expect from a radiological attack. Although some scenarios of a radiologic event can be impossible to be prepared for, the effort put toward educating and better preparing for these types of events can help minimize some of the issues. The different areas discussed in this review include radioisotopes of concern, detection of radiation dose, biological effects of ionizing radiation exposures, low dose effects, targeted and non-targeted effects (NTE), psychological effects, mitigations, with a brief mention of other considerations such as medical preparedness, communication, policy implications and ethical issues...

Nuclear explosions, sabotage, and dirty bomb materials are considered a security threat. This paper discusses the development of a gamma-ray monitoring system that enables the screening of nuclear materials moving simultaneously on both sides of the system at ports. This direction-sensitive gamma-ray monitoring (DSGM) system consists of a monolithic plastic scintillator surrounded by 28 photomultiplier tubes and dual-sided parallel-hole lead collimators. With Monte Carlo simulation, the monitoring performance of the DSGM system was assessed for static and moving sources...

Americium is a man-made metal produced in very small quantities in nuclear reactors. Americium-241 is one of the radioactive isotopes of americium and has commercial applications, including use in smoke detectors. This is a case report of an occupational inhalation of americium-241, treated with both effective external decontamination and the use of diethylenetriamine pentaacetate to promote decorporation. This experience is significant because of the potential for americium or similar radionuclides to be used in "dirty" bombs or other radiological dispersion devices to cause large-scale radioactive contamination...

A radiation combined injury (RCI) is defined as an injury that occurs in the setting of irradiation, such as those expected after a nuclear accident, radiation dispersal device release (a "dirty bomb"), or a nuclear weapon detonation. There is much research on irradiation-associated burns and their healing, but there is less known about other injuries sustained in the context of irradiation. Animal models are limited in their correlations to clinical situations but can support research on specific questions about injuries and their healing...

Human populations and natural ecosystems are bound to be exposed to ionizing radiation from the deposition of artificial radionuclides resulting from nuclear accidents, nuclear devices or radiological dispersive devices ("dirty bombs"). On the other hand, Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material industries such as phosphate production or uranium mining, contribute to the on site storage of residuals with enhanced concentrations of natural radionuclides. Therefore, in the context of the European agreements concerning nuclear energy, namely the European Atomic Energy Community Treaty, monitoring is an essential feature of the environmental radiological surveillance...

BACKGROUND: In radiological emergencies with radionuclide incorporation, decorporation treatment is particularly effective if started early. Treating all people potentially contaminated ("urgent treatment") may require large antidote stockpiles. An efficacious way to reduce antidote requirements is by using radioactivity screening equipment. We analyzed the suitability of such equipment for triage purposes and determined the most efficient mix of screening units and antidote daily doses...

This work was undertaken to understand what would happen if a high-activity radioactive fragment became embedded in an individual following the use of a crude radiological dispersal device ('dirty bomb'). Two areas were addressed: how would a high-activity fragment be viewed on modern digital x-ray imaging systems; and, what would be the impact on medical management for the patient? A set of experimental trials were undertaken using an iridium-192 source and a DRagon mobile x-ray set equipped with a Canon CXDI-50G portable flat panel digital detector plate...

Internal contamination by radionuclides may constitute a major source of exposure and biological damage after radiation accidents and potentially in a dirty bomb or improvised nuclear device scenario. We injected male C57BL/6 mice with radiolabeled cesium chloride solution (137CsCl) to evaluate the biological effects of varying cumulative doses and dose rates in a two-week study. Injection activities of 137CsCl were 5.71, 6.78, 7.67 and 9.29 MBq, calculated to achieve a target dose of 4 Gy at days 14, 7, 5 and 3, respectively...