Dangers Of Radioactive Radiation Exposure To Human Body Health

Illustration of radiation exposure. (Pexels/cottonbro studio).

The last few days stole the attention of exposure to cesium-137 radioactive substances in the Cikande inductor area, Serang, Banten. This finding was immediately tried to be handled by local authorities and the Indonesian Ministry of Environment.

Direct response efforts are carried out considering the impact of exposure to radioactive radiation that could be dangerous, not only for the environment, but also for humans.

Quoted from the official website of the World Health Organization (WHO), on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, the impact of exposure to radioactive radiation on humans varies with doses and the duration of exposure. The impact is also different according to the term, as follows.

1. Short-term (acute) effects

If direct radiation exposure occurs in a very high number of doses, it could cause acute short-term effects, which include symptoms like below.

- Nausea and vomiting, or disorders in the digestive tract. - Redning skin and burns, damage to the skin tissue. - Hair loss, where the skin cells in the head are damaged and cause damage. - Blood disorders, namely decreased blood cell production due to damage to the bone cord.

2. Long-term effects (chronical)

Exposure to radiation in low doses is often not realized. However, if this radiation occurs in the long term it can cause chronic effects, which can trigger serious illness as follows.

- Cancer, due to radiation can damage DNA and increase the risk of various types of cancer such as blood, lung, and thyroid cancer. - tissue injury, where damage occurs in organs such as the heart and blood vessels. - Genetic defects, where exposure to eggs and sperm can increase the risk of birth defects in offspring.

3. Impact on vulnerable groups

Children and pregnant women are a group that is very vulnerable to exposure to radioactive radiation. This is because their cells divide faster.

In pregnant women, the fetus can experience defects at birth. Meanwhile, children can inhibit brain development and increase the risk of cancer in their future.