Radioactive material on the skin is described by which term?

• A. Contamination
• B. Poison
• C. Toxidrome
• D. Irradiation

Answer: (A)

Contamination involves radioactive material being physically present on surfaces or skin. When radioactive material is on the skin, it creates a contamination scenario because the hazard comes from the material itself that can be spread or absorbed and requires decontamination. Irradiation, by contrast, is exposure to radiation energy from a source and can occur without any material being on the skin. Poison and toxidrome describe toxic effects from chemicals or toxins and their symptom patterns, not the presence of radioactive material on the body. In practice, skin contamination is addressed by decontamination—removing contaminated clothing and washing the skin—followed by monitoring to ensure the contamination is cleared.