Basic Concepts of Radiation Biology

Abstract

Radiation biology is the study of the effects of ionizing radiation on biological tissues and living organisms. It combines radiation physics and biology. The purpose of this chapter is to introduce the terminology and basic concepts of radiobiology to create a better understanding of the ionizing radiation interactions with a living organism. This chapter firstly describes the different types of radiation, the sources, and the radiation interactions with matter. The basic concepts of radioactivity and its applications are also included. Ionizing radiation causes significant physical and chemical modifications, which eventually lead to biological effects in the exposed tissue or organism. The physical quantities and units needed to describe the radiation are introduced here. Eventually, a broad range of biological effects of the different radiation types are addressed. This chapter concludes with a specific focus on the effects of low doses of radiation.

Volatile Compound Markers in Beef Irradiated with Accelerated Electrons

“…When exposed to accelerated electrons, chemical bonds in lipid and protein molecules break to initiate changes in molecule structure or charge distribution—polarity of molecules. The physical stage of radiation lasting for s [ 45 ] leads to the creation of ions and excited molecules, while ROS 1 species , occurring as a result of water radiolysis, during physical and chemical stage of the irradiation s actively interact with lipids, bringing about oxidative stress that initiates lipid peroxidation, triggering chain destructive reactions in the cell lipids and forming lipid radicals L*, LO*, as well as lipid hydroperoxides LOOH—ROS 2 [ 24 ]. ROS 1 species also interact with amino acids, peptides and proteins, leading to both reversible and irreversible oxidation of proteins with the formation of protein peroxyl radicals (ROS 2 ), causing disruption, modification, carbonylation, oxidation and fragmentation of the primary, secondary and tertiary structure of protein molecules.…”

“…ROS 1 species also interact with amino acids, peptides and proteins, leading to both reversible and irreversible oxidation of proteins with the formation of protein peroxyl radicals (ROS 2 ), causing disruption, modification, carbonylation, oxidation and fragmentation of the primary, secondary and tertiary structure of protein molecules. The biochemical stage of irradiation lasts from s to several days and even years [ 45 ]. Figure 7 shows the stages of accelerated electron exposure for target lipids and proteins in meat samples.…”

Lab to Emergency: Establishment and validation of automated method for rapid biodosimetry

“…DC, primarily induced by ionizing radiation, offer speci city and sensitivity, particularly in detecting chronic or low-dose radiation exposure [12]. The analysis of DC along with ring chromosomes, representing inter and intra-chromosomal exchanges, is considered the gold standard for biodosimetry due to its well-established dose-response relationship and low baseline occurrence in the general population [13].…”