Comparative Study of the Effect of UV vs. Gamma Radiation on Human Hair

    January 2010 in “ Biophysical journal ”
    Ervin Palma, David González‐Gómez, Eugene Galicia, Yuri V. Griko
    TLDR Hair fluorescence intensity can measure radiation exposure effectively.
    The study compared the effects of UV and 60Co gamma radiation on human hair to assess its potential as a biomarker for radiation exposure. Using tryptophan fluorescence and chemical analysis, it was found that both types of radiation caused progressive damage to hair fibers up to 10Gy, evidenced by decreased fluorescence intensity and reduced SH-groups. UV radiation caused more rapid and intense changes than gamma radiation. The study concluded that hair fluorescence intensity is a sensitive measure for evaluating radiation exposure.
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