What is the purpose of a decontamination procedure?

• A. To ventilate a room to reduce airborne contaminants.
• B. To remove radioactive contamination from surfaces or people to reduce exposure and spread.
• C. To increase shielding around a detector.
• D. To calibrate dosimeters.

Answer: (B)

Decontamination is the process of removing radioactive contamination from surfaces, equipment, or people to lower the radiation dose and prevent the spread of contamination. By physically removing or neutralizing contaminants on skin, clothing, or room surfaces, you reduce external exposure and the chance that contamination will be ingested, inhaled, or transferred to other areas or people. Ventilating a room, while helpful for reducing airborne concentrations, does not remove surface or person contamination. Increasing shielding around a detector reduces the dose it measures or the exposure to the detector, not the contamination itself. Calibrating dosimeters is about ensuring accurate dose readings, not removing contamination.