No
matter how unlikely they may seem, accidents can occur, and all
steps should be taken to analyze the possible implications of these
accidents. As nuclear power plants become more and more popular
in the world, it is important to fully understand the effects that
an accidental radiation exposure can have on humans and the environment.
One way we can assess this risk in humans is to evaluate the changes
that occur in chromosomes when human cells are exposed, in vitro
(in the test-tube), to radiation.
When
exposed to radiation, breaks in the chromosomes in cells can occur.
These breaks are most often correctly repaired, but very rarely,
they may not be repaired, resulting in chromosome(s) with rearrangements.
When rearrangements occur between two different chromosomes, they
are known as interchromosomal rearrangements (translocations), whereas,
intrachromosomal rearrangements (inversions) occur within a single
chromosome. The greater the number of these aberrations, the greater
the amount of radiation (the dose) the cells have been exposed to.
Therefore, by measuring the frequency of chromosomal alterations
within a sample of cells, one can determine the dose that the cells
have received.