Radiological Terrorism: Societal and Human Consequences

Twenty years ago, in September 1987, an abandoned radioactive source of cesium chloride (a highly-radioactive substance containing Cs closed hospital in Goiania, Brazil. The glowing blue powder from the opened source was shared among the looters, their friends and relatives, and many local residents, leading to several deaths and hundreds of cases of radiation exposure, contaminated buildings, land, water, and infrastructure. Thousands of residents had to be examined, hundreds received various doses of radiation, tons of contaminated soil and debris had to be disposed of, and the economy of a prosperous resort community of Goiania suffered significant losses. The case was ruled a combination of negligence, improper handling and disposal of radioactive substances by hospital officials, and the ignorance of the public of the dangers posed by unknown industrial materials. 137) was picked up by local scavengers at the site of a