Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] The Nuclear disaster triggered by a stolen medical device 37 years ago, a radioactive source within an abandoned medical device in Goiania, Brazil, exposed over 112,000 residents of the city to the risk of radiation contamination.
[00:00:18] An abandoned radiotherapy capsule, later mistaken for scrap metal and sold, set off a chain of events that led to over 112,000 people being screened for radiation exposure and fatalities. According to IFLScience, the Goiania incident began when a private radiotherapy clinic relocated, leaving behind a treatment device containing cesium 137. Without notifying the authorities, the radioactive device remained on site as the facility was dismantled.
[00:00:53] Later, two scavengers found it and brought it home to dismantle releasing toxic materials.
[00:01:01] According to a preliminary report by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the radiation source was in the form of cesium chloride salt, highly soluble and easily dispersed, causing widespread environmental contamination.
[00:01:17] This marked the beginning of one of the most severe radiation incidents in history.
[00:01:22] After the capsule was breached, the two scavengers began selling its parts, including the Cesium 137, which glowed blue in the dark.
[00:01:33] The glowing object attracted the attention of friends and family who came to admire it and even took home samples as small as grains of rice.
[00:01:42] About five days later, the first symptoms appeared. People experienced gastrointestinal issues without realizing radiation was the cause.
[00:01:52] However, when one individual brought the capsule to a public health agency, the gravity of the situation became clear.
[00:02:00] Local authorities repurposed a stadium to gather those exposed or injured by the radiation. In total, around 112,000 individuals were monitored, with 249 found to have external or internal radiation contamination.
[00:02:17] More than 20 people were hospitalized and four died due to acute radiation syndrome.
[00:02:23] The worst affected victims were exposed to doses estimated between 4.5 and 6 gray.
[00:02:31] According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, exposure to as little as 0.7 grays can lead to acute radiation syndrome, making the Goyania victims some of the most heavily irradiated individuals in history.
[00:02:47] Blood tests of 110 individuals involved in the Goyania incident revealed radiation exposure levels ranging from 0 to to 7 gray. Although treatments exist for cesium exposure, the damage it inflicts on body tissues means that even survivors face long term health risks, including cancer. A study published in Clinical Toxicology noted that cesium 137 enters the body through ingestion or inhalation.
[00:03:17] This isotope emits beta and gamma radiation, both forms of ionizing radiation that destroy living tissue.
[00:03:25] The Goiania accident is a stark reminder of how improperly managed radioactive medical devices can contaminate nearly an entire city.
[00:03:35] Such devices can pose a threat to human life for tens of thousands of years.
