37 years ago, a block of radioactive material inside an abandoned medical device in Goiania put more than 112,000 people in the city of Goiania at risk of radiation exposure.
The medical equipment compartment caused the Goiânia accident. Image: Flickr
An abandoned radioactive chamber was later assumed to be scrap metal by its finders and sold, starting a chain of events that led to more than 112,000 people being screened for radiation exposure and four deaths, according to IFL Science.
The Goiânia accident began when a private radiotherapy clinic moved and abandoned a treatment device containing cesium-137 without notifying the authorities. Radioactive equipment remained in place throughout the facility’s demolition. Later, it was discovered by two teenagers and brought home to try to disassemble it, revealing toxic components. According to a preliminary report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the radioactive source is in the form of cesium chloride salt that is easily soluble and dispersed, causing environmental pollution. That was the beginning of one of the most serious radiation accidents ever.
After the capsule ruptured, the two teenagers began selling parts to junk dealers, including a block of radioactive cesium-137 that glowed blue in the dark. The object attracts many of the person’s relatives and friends to admire it. Then, they excitedly brought home specimens as large as a grain of rice. About five days later, people begin to experience the first symptoms. They had gastrointestinal problems but had no idea it was the result of radiation, but when a resident presented the device compartment to public health authorities, the severity of the situation became clear.
The local government had to requisition a stadium as a gathering place for radioactive and injured people. A total of about 112,000 people were monitored, of which 249 people were found to be contaminated with radiation outside or in the body. More than 20 people were hospitalized and 4 people died from acute radiation syndrome.
It is estimated that the worst affected victims continue to receive approximately 4.5 – 6 Gray (Gy) of radiation. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a person is at risk of acute radiation syndrome when exposed to 0.7 Gy, thus the victims of the Goiânia accident became severely radioactive. most in history.
Blood test results from 110 people involved in the Goiania accident revealed radiation levels ranging from 0 to 7 Gy. While there are treatments for people exposed to cesium, the damage it causes to body tissue means that even survivors are susceptible to later diseases, including cancer. According to research published in the journal Clinical Toxicology, cesium-137 enters the body through digestion or inhalation. This isotope releases beta and gamma radiation, both forms of ionizing radiation that destroy living tissue.
The Goiânia accident is proof that handling a medical radioactive device can contaminate almost an entire city. Such a device could become a threat to human life for tens of thousands of years.