Re: Airport X-ray Security Scanner

[Sarah_Hayes@student.uml.edu (Sarah Hayes)]

Iles, Jeff wrote:

> An associate and friend of mine inquired as to the potential adverse health
> affects associated with exposure to subject X-ray scanner.  I was not
> previously aware that such a system existed in the public domain for
> irradiating traveling members of the general public. Information and/or
> comments regarding this system (which is somewhat described in the hypertext
> article) and any health/exposure related considerations for its use would be
> appreciated.
>
>

The maximum reported exposure rate from airport inspection x-rays is about 0.5
Roentgen per hour.  In terms of dose, it's a miniscule fraction of the average
annual backround dose to any member of the general public.  Relatively
speaking, a person receives more annual dose from the naturally occurring
radionuclides present in his/her body than from an airport inspection x-ray
machine.

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