Radiation Protection Concepts

Environmental radiation exposure is here understood to be the exposure to natural or man-made sources of ionizing or non-ionizing radiation due to private or professional activities, including radiation exposure incurred by medical examinations and treat­ments. Ultraviolet light (UV) will be treated here as the main source of risk for non-ionizing radiation. Radiation protection concepts are the main strategies devised to prevent or duly restrict adverse health effects of the irradiation of persons or popula­tions. For instance, in the case of solar UV radiation, the exposure to UV can be largely reduced by a change in life style. Needs for future research, from which radiation pro­tection will benefit, will be the main subject of the following considerations.