Radioactive pollution is the kind of a pollution which is caused due to the radioactive decay of unstable heavy atoms nuclei. When these radiations are emitted, their exposure can cause damage and harm to the living cells as well as the environment.
Radioactive pollution is defined as the pollution of not just air but also water and radioactive materials. The effects of radioactive pollution can be both long and short range. The pollution leads to many types of negative side effects. To know more about these effects, you can go through the following given information:
Thyroid Cancer/Thyroid Tumors
One of the most adverse side effects of radioactive pollution is cancer and thyroid tumors. These side effects is due to the effect of radioactive iodine which tends to accumulate in the thyroid. When a radiation accident occurs, one is recommended to take a non- radioactive dose of iodine as a precaution. This helps by leaving no space for the radioactive iodine to accumulate and bind.
Skin Cancer
Another negative effect of radioactive pollution is skin cancer. Skin cancer gets developed due to the result of prolonged UV exposure which people experience at beaches, tanning salons etc. Thus it is recommended that one doesn’t spend a great deal of time at tanning clinics or at beaches or use protective sunscreen when at the beach.
On the Environment
Radioactive pollution also has an effect on the environment. It happens when the soil gets contaminated by some of the radioactive substances. The harmful substances then get transferred into the plants which grow from the soil and this leads to genetic harms like genetic mutation. Some plants tend to die due to such exposure and others may develop weaker seeds. If one eats any part of such a plant leads to health risks.
Effect on Other Human Organs
Besides the skin and thyroid, radioactive pollution also affects many other parts and  organs of the body including the bone marrow, the gonads, the intestines and the cells as well. These parts are more sensitive towards radioactive emissions and pollution than the others. The emissions can also cause lung cancer besides thyroid cancer and skin cancer.
Genetic Mutations
Radioactive pollution can also be responsible for a much more severe and serious condition which is known as genetic mutation. The effects of this are so serious that they can be passed on to future generations as well due to changes in the structure of genes and DNA. This can lead to both physical and mental birth defects and one of the most famous examples of this is Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear bombings.
Some Less Serious Effects
Some of the less serious effects of being exposed to radioactive pollution include vomiting, nausea, loss of hair, diarrhea, bruises due to bleeding etc. these are the low intensity effects which are caused due to a low intensity exposure. While these are not that serious, the other effects can be from mild to fatal and may even cause death.
