Abstract
Mathematical models of the transfer of radionuclides through the environment are used extensively in radiological protection. There are two main reasons for this. The first is that although it is relatively easy to detect radionuclides in environmental materials, it is impossible to take enough measurements to enable estimates to be made of the radiation doses to people from all the sources of current exposure. The second reason is that it is necessary for planning purposes to estimate doses to people in the future, both those from radionuclides that are already present in the environment and those from routine and accidental releases that may occur in the short or long term. It must also be remembered that it is not possible to actually measure the radiation dose to a person from the intake of radionuclides. The best that can be achieved is to measure intake, and even this is extremely difficult in the case of members of the public and involves a significant intrusion into people’s lives. Thus, all doses from intakes are calculated, using mathematical models of radionuclide metabolism in the human body.
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© 1988 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.
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Hill, M.D. (1988). Use of Mathematical Models in Risk Assessment and Risk Management. In: Harley, J.H., Schmidt, G.D., Silini, G. (eds) Radionuclides in the Food Chain. ILSI Monographs. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-1610-3_24
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-1610-3_24
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