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Radiological Exposure Pathways
Man-made radiation from the NTS has the potential to reach the public
through different pathways. Such radiation includes radioactive elements
called radionuclides which emit alpha, beta, or gamma radiation, or a
combination of these types of radiation. A pathway outlines the route
which radionuclide contaminants may follow to reach the public.
Radionuclides may enter the local environment by air or water. People
could inhale them from the air and from water vapor. People could also
absorb radiation from air or water through the skin or by drinking
contaminated water. Radionuclides released into the air or water can
also pass through the soil, plants, or wildlife and reach people through
ingestion of crops and game animals.
The three primary potential pathways of radiation exposure to the
public in the dry desert environment around the NTS include:
- Air and wind transport via resuspension of surface soil
contamination from historic nuclear testing sites (called legacy
sites)
- Movement through groundwater from sites of underground nuclear
tests or buried waste sites
- Ingestion of contaminated game animals exposed to contaminated
soils and plants on the NTS
Potential Dose Pathways to the Public
Refer to the following Fact Sheet for more information:
What is
Radiation [PDF, 185KB]
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