Course: Radiation Protection and Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation

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Course title Radiation Protection and Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation
Course code UFY/ZRO
Organizational form of instruction Lecture + Lesson
Level of course Master
Year of study not specified
Frequency of the course In each academic year, in the winter semester.
Semester Winter
Number of ECTS credits 3
Language of instruction Czech
Status of course Compulsory-optional, Optional
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements This is not an internship
Recommended optional programme components None
Lecturer(s)
  • Zemanová Eva, Ing. Ph.D., MBA.
Course content
Content of lectures: 1. RP legislation in the Czech Republic, EU regulations and IAEA recommendations. Requirements for licensing activities with IR source: declaration, registration, authorization, documentation submitted by the State Office for Nuclear Safety (SONS) for licensed activities with IR sources. The role of SONS and the National RP Institute (NRPI) in radiation protection, obligations in the field of RP provision. 2. RP principles: justification, RP optimization, dose limits, ensuring the safety of IR sources. Source testing system and property verification for their safe use. 3. Classification of workplaces, radiation workers, IR sources; the definition of the monitored and controlled area at workplaces with IR sources, personal radiation cards and conditions for their use. 4. Radiation generator; sealed and unsealed radionuclide source, types of IR according to origin; IR interactions with living mass, deterministic effect (tissue reactions), stochastic effect (probabilistic), assessment of health consequences, quantities and units used in dosimetry and radiation protection for the evaluation of IR biological effects. 5. Basic detection methods and IR measurement methods. 6. Monitoring: IR source workplaces, personal monitoring of radiation workers, discharges monitoring, workplace surroundings and environment monitoring. Monitoring levels. Monitoring program. 7. Evaluation and optimization of medical exposure doses (ME), ME risks and benefits, test system for verifying source properties for safe use in ME. Radiological events - misexposure of the patient 8. Use of veterinary, industrial IR sources; sources in education and research, safe operation of the workplace and safe IR sources management rules. 9. IR sources at workplace of IV. category, exposure risks (nuclear reactor, storages) 10. IR as a risk factor for working conditions, health risk assessment, and health care system for radiation workers (occupational health services) and persons irradiated during radiation emergencies. 11. Irradiation protection methods, shielding, internal and external irradiation, contamination types, decontamination procedures. 12. Radiation Emergencies (RE), RE management. Internal emergency plan and intervention instructions. 13. IR sources transport and restriction of irradiation during transport. Release of sources from workplaces to the environment, criteria for the IR sources waiver from regulation. Handover, IR sources disposal, storage. Content of practical: 1. Low-dose risk 2. Estimating the pregnant doses, fetal and newborns doses in medical exposure. 3. Ethics in Radiation Protection, ICRP No. 138 4. Radiation Emergencies in our country and the world 5. Health consequences of the Chernobyl and Fukushima accidents: Deterministic and stochastic effects. 6. Radiation situations and methods of environment decontamination in Fukushima Prefecture after the nuclear accident. 7. Radiation situation and the environment in the FK at present, the real and perceived risks. 8. New means of RP optimization using artificial intelligence, modelling of emergency radiation situation using SW - prediction of impacts. 9. Excursion in the dosimetry laboratories of SONS and NRPI, the department of České Budějovice. 10. Environment monitoring in the Czech Republic, Radiation Monitoring Network (RMN), acquaintance with online data: MONRAS 11. The Radon program in the Czech Republic 12. Excursion in the workplace with linear accelerator: Radiotherapy department in the Hospital of České Budějovice. 13. Spent fuel, what to do with it; real and perceived risks

Learning activities and teaching methods
Monologic (reading, lecture, briefing)
  • Preparation for classes - 25 hours per semester
  • Preparation for exam - 30 hours per semester
  • Preparation for credit - 15 hours per semester
Learning outcomes
The aim of the course is to acquaint students with the principles and means of radiation protection (RP) which are anchored in atomic law (Act No. 263/2016 Coll. and its implementing regulations), and which is obliged to comply with anyone who handles the ionizing radiation source (i.e. use in medicine, veterinary medicine, industry, research, education, etc.). The course also deals with the biological effects of ionising radiation (IR) and the assessment of the risks associated with exposure. Attention is paid to IR monitoring and evaluation of doses applied to patients, RP optimisation in terms of dose reduction when using IR as reasonably achievable (ALARA principle). Lectures also include legal requirements for the transfer, transport or disposal of IR resources and the release of radionuclides into the environment. Last but not least, the method of preparedness and response to radiation emergencies, irradiation reduction, IR protection methods, shielding is discussed.
The student will be familiar with the rules of radiation protection and biological effects of ionizing radiation.
Prerequisites
Completion of basic courses in general physics.

Assessment methods and criteria
Combined exam

Attendance at lectures and 75% attendance at seminars. Answering at least 80 % of the content of the questions.
Recommended literature
  • KLENER, Vladislav a kol. Principy a praxe radiační ochrany. Praha, 2000. ISBN 80-238-3703-6.
  • SÚJB: https://www.sujb.cz/radiacni-ochrana/.
  • SÚRO: https://www.suro.cz/cz/radiacni-ochrana.
  • UNEP: IONIZUJÍCÍ ZÁŘENÍ. ÚČINKY a ZDROJE. Co je ionizující záření. Co nám může způsobovat. Kde se s ním můžeme setkat, Program OSN pro ochranu životního prostředí, 2016, ISBN 978-92-807-3600-7.


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester
Faculty: Faculty of Science Study plan (Version): Physics for future teachers (1) Category: Physics courses - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: Winter
Faculty: Faculty of Science Study plan (Version): Physics (1) Category: Physics courses - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: Winter
Faculty: Faculty of Science Study plan (Version): Biophysics (1) Category: Physics courses - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: Winter