Heritable Effects - hdbk11300214

DOE-HDBK-1130-98

Table 2-1

Prompt Biological Effects

Dose (rem)

Effect

0-25

None detectable through

symptoms or routine blood tests.

25-100

Changes in blood.

100-300

Nausea, anorexia.

300-600

Diarrhea, hemorrhage, and

possible death

2) Delayed Effects

Delayed effects may result from either a single large acute overexposure or

from continuing low-level chronic exposure. Cancer in its various forms is

the most important potential delayed effect of radiation exposure. Other

effects noted include cataracts, life shortening and, for individuals exposed

in the womb, lower IQ test scores.

b. Heritable Effects

A heritable effect is a physical mutation or trait that is passed on to offspring.

In the case of heritable effects, the parental individual has experienced damage

to some genetic material in the reproductive cells and has passed the damaged

genetic material onto offspring.

1) Heritable effects from radiation have never been observed in humans but

are considered possible. They have been observed in studies of plants and

animals.

2) Heritable effects have not been found in the 77,000 Japanese children born

to the survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (these are children who were

conceived after the atom bomb -- i.e., heritable effects). Studies have

followed these children, their children, and their grandchildren.

4. Factors affecting biological damage due to exposure to radiation

a. Total dose