Question

One of the most radioactive pollutants is
A) \[{{\text{C}}^{\text{14}}}\]
B) \[{{\text{S}}^{\text{35}}}\]
C) \[\text{S}{{\text{r}}^{\text{90}}}\]
D) \[{{\text{P}}^{\text{32}}}\]

Answer 1

Hint:Since radioactive pollutant is taken up into bone, the bone itself and nearby soft tissues may be damaged by radiation released over time.

Complete answer:
Let’s discuss the given options and find the answers:

>Carbon-14 may be a low energy beta emitter and even large amounts of this isotope pose little external dose hazard to persons exposed. The beta ray barely penetrates the outer protective dead layer of the skin of the body.
>A radioactive sulfur isotope; a beta emitter with a half-life of 87.2 days; used as a tracer in the study of the metabolism of cysteine, cystine, methionine, and other compounds; also used to estimate, with labeled sulfate, extracellular fluid volumes.
>\[\text{S}{{\text{r}}^{\text{90}}}\] is a radioactive isotope of strontium. It is formed in nuclear reactors or during the explosion of nuclear weapons. A large portion of this strontium accumulates in the bone. It behaves like calcium and mostly attaches to the surfaces of bones. This leads to cancer as a result of damage to the genetic material of the bone, nose, and lung and leukemia cells.
>Phosphorus-32 is an active beta emitter which may penetrate up to 0.8 cm into living skin tissue. Therefore, this isotope poses an external (skin) dose hazard to persons also as a possible internal hazard. An internal exposure may occur if a private contaminates bare skin, accidentally ingests the fabric, splashes it into the eyes, or breathes it within the sort of a gas or vapor.

Hence, option C: \[\text{S}{{\text{r}}^{\text{90}}}\] is the correct option.

Note:Air Pollution can be caused by radioactivity which is in the air as gas or aerosols that emit such ionizing radiation as alpha and beta particles, gamma rays, neutrons and other high energy quanta.