Element 39: Yttrium

Safety glasses are very important as if this harmful chemical got into your eyes the damage may be very severe.

The rare earth elements The United States currently only has one rare earth mine. And 98% exports comes from China which is currently taking advantage of their near monopoly by limiting the exportation. Scientists are engineering powerful rare earth magnets by combining iron, boron, and trying to reduce the neodymium, these rare earth magnets are not naturally found. And scientist all over the world have found creative and innovative uses for these magnets. For example a scientist has found that he can reduce the deaths of sharks by using magnets to repel the sharks by attaching it to fishing hooks. Though the hook was also attracted to the metal so he found the magnet with the least magnetic force, called samarium, that would also produce the same

For example, osmium can irritate the respiratory system, the skin, and the eyes. Osmium is rarely used in its pure form, meaning that it can be highly toxic. Effects of inhaling this element include, burning sensation, coughing, severe headaches, wheezing, sudden shortness of breath, and visual disturbances. As a result of contact with the skin, you are at risk of redness, skin burns, skin discoloration and blisters. Unfortunately, exposure to high concentrations may result in damage to kidneys or even death. Though this chemical is able to do harm, it can be and has been used in a beneficial way. For example, Osmium has also played a key role in various aspects of the development of lightbulb technology.Alloys of osmium and platinum are used to make specialized laboratory equipment. Alloys can be made by melting or mixing two or more metals. Lastly, it can be used as a catalyst, a substance used to speed up or slow down a chemical reaction.

"Boom! Pow! Sounds that are immediately followed by Ahh's and cheers. For most of us these sounds are all too familiar at annual 4th of July firework celebrations. However, what would a 4th of July celebration be without the glimmering colors of our nation. People all over our country are able to share in the excitement of fireworks partly due to the effects of one element. The glow of a child’s face from “Glow in the dark” paint is able to work - again- because of the effects of one element. However, the feelings of happiness and pleasure are not constricted to only the red glow of paints and flares. This amazing element is also able to bring pleasure and

Radium appears as a shiny, silvery metal of high radioactivity. Radium can be “used to treat prostate cancer that has spread to the bones,” and in the past, it was “used in luminous paints, for example in clock and watch dials” (Royal Society of Chemistry, 2017). Radium is present in the environment, and people that live in areas where coal or other fuels are burning and released into the air are more exposed to higher levels of radium. Radium can enter the body by breathing or swallowing and can remain in the body for months, only exiting in small amounts by urine and feces (“Public Health Statement for Radium,” 1990). High levels of radium exposure over a long period of time are extremely dangerous to the health of an individual. The harmful effects of radium could cause “anemia, cataracts, fractured teeth, cancer (especially bone cancer), and death” (“Public Health Statement for Radium,” 1990). The greater amount of radium exposure an individual receives, the greater their chance is to developing one of these diseases (“Public Health Statement for Radium,”

Strontium is a chemical element with symbol Sr and atomic number (protons in nucleus) 38 and atomic weight 88.1 It is a soft, silver-gray metal, and has physical and chemical properties like to Calcium and Barium. It is available as four stable isotopes ubiquitously (Isotopes are differ in forms of an by number of protons in nucleus but possess a variable number of neutrons.) Strontium-88 is the most dominant among other forms, comprising 83% of natural strontium, where in additional three stable isotopes and their relative abundance are strontium-84 (0.6%), strontium-86 (9.9%), and strontium-87 (7.0%). Strontium is available ubiquitous vitally as as celestite (SrSO4) and strontianite (SrCO3), and it comprises about 0.025% of the earth’s crust. There are 16 major radioactive isotopes of strontium, but only strontium-90 has a half-life sufficiently long (29 years). In comparison with half-lives of remaining strontium radionuclides are fewer than 65 days. Strontium-90 decays to yttrium-90 by decaying a beta particle, and yttrium-90 decays by decaying a energetic beta particle with a half-life of 64 hours to zirconium-90. The key health concerns for strontium-90 are associated to the energetic beta particle from yttrium-90.2

In workshop 2, we have substances such as ferric chloride, fine etch crystals and photoresist developer. Whilst handling these substances we must wear protective goggles to avoid any splash or fumes getting in contact with the eyes causing redness, irritation and blurred vision. Gloves and protective clothing to avoid any spillage contacting the skin and causing irritation, burns or pain. We use vapour respirator to avoid any inhalation of any toxic fumes causing coughing or sore throat and wash our hands after handling to avoid indigestion causing abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, shock or collapse.

There are guidelines/protocols that have been put in place by the trust that must be adhered to by all staff. Ensure that I am dressed appropriately so that my clothing does not compromise my safety or the patients. Ensure work/clinical areas void of equipment that may constitute a hazard if stored or left in the wrong place. There is adequate information and training provided by the trust to ensure competency and safe working. For instance, when in the mould room, I have been trained to use equipment and been made aware of safe working when using the various materials and substances in the mould (i.e. lead, hot water). The body absorbs lead when you breathe in the lead dust or swallow lead when you bite your nails after working with lead

Before conducting the Activity Series Lab, participants must know how to protect themselves against the possible dangers that the hazardous materials from the lab can cause. Some of the things they must understand include proper safety precautions and how to protect against corrosive or poisonous materials. For instance, Copper (II) Chloride, one of the solutions used in the lab, can cause severe eye irritation. One way to protect against this is by wearing goggles, or other eye protection equipment. Another substance used in the lab is Silver Nitrate, a body tissue irritant. Participants must wash off the substance quickly if it comes into contact with their skin to prevent any serious damage. Not only is it vital to know how to be safe around the chemicals, but to fully understand the lab, participants must be able to recognize the clues to a chemical change.

Toxicology-Toxic - may be fatal if swallowed or inhaled. Corrosive, causes burns. Harmful by inhalation and through skin absorption.

in mining and metalworking, and has been associated with poisoning from items such as dyes,

These places would be surgery, fluoroscopy, staying in the room to hold the patient, and when performing mobile exams. While being involved in one of those tasks, you must prepare yourself. This includes wearing a lead apron that covers your chest and gonadal area, along with a thyroid collar, and even lead glasses. A long term effect of radiation exposure is cataracts. If you are constantly in the surgery room using the c-arm or o-arm, or you are performing fluoroscopy exams left and right, you should wear lead glasses to protect your eyes. While performing an exam in the department, you should always stand behind the lead wall before pressing the exposure button. This guarantees that the scatter radiation will not make its way to you. If you have a patient that needs to be held throughout the exam, a technologist should be the last person to hold; a family member, friend, or even someone outside of the department should help hold the patient because they are exposed to less radiation on a daily

Most of the times personal work place injury can be caused due to exposure to hazardous materials at work! These all fall under the category of work place accidents and claims. Most common industrial health hazard are asbestosis and mesothelioma, chest infections like emphysema, pneumoconiosis, silicosis, and chronic bronchitis. Asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and chronic obstructive airways disease can also be caused due to excessive exposure to pollutants in the nonattendance of protective gears and

The employer must review the work methods and assess the likelihood of worker exposure. When there is likelihood of worker exposure a control program must be instituted. The control program can include engineering controls, work practices, hygiene practices, record keeping and medical surveillance, if applicable.

When assisting the patient, the radiographers have to make sure they provide radiation safety not only for the patient but also for themselves. There are many different methods to providing safety. With the equipment and radiation dosage, highest KVp and the lowest mAs is used to provide the minimum amount of dosage required for the procedure. Furthermore, safety can be provided by reducing the amount of rime in radiation area, by putting as much distance between you and the radiation source as possible. When performing a portable examination stand at least six feet from x-ray source and wear a lead apron. The patient should remove any jewelry or metal accessories that may interfere with radiation procedure and both the technologist and the patient needs to wear protective lead shields for example lead gloves, aprons, skirts and thyroid shields to protect the other body parts from the radiation. It is advised to also always wear monitoring device at collar level. Lastly, the technologist uses immobilization devices to hold the patients when needed.