Common Sources of Radiation in Everyday Life Part 2

Do you think that you don’t need to worry about radiation? Think again!

Radiation isn’t just a problem for people who work around nuclear energy, it is something that we are all exposed to in our everyday lives. In the last SOEKS blog, we went over some of the most common sources of radiation. Keep reading to learn about more everyday radiation sources:

#3. Smoke Detectors

Smoke detectors are essential for notifying your family of fires, but they can also emit radiation. In the mechanism that helps smoke detectors actually detect smoke, there are radioactive elements, typically americium-241.

#4. Food

One method of food sterilization utilizes radioactive sources to kill viruses and bacteria. This is called food irradiation. This method of sterilization is also used for food packaging, manufacturing parts and medical devices.

#5. Radon

Radon is a radioactive gas that is produced by the natural decay of uranium. Radon is commonly found in homes throughout the United States, and unlike most of the sources of radiation that we’ve discussed in this blog series, exposure to radon can be dangerous.

The fact of the matter is that radiation is all around us. If you are concerned about protecting yourself and your family from radiation, SOEKS can help. Shop our Geiger counters for sale today!