It is vital to check your food and surroundings for radioactive emissions. The radiation is invisible, tasteless, and odorless; it penetrates through most materials and can cause various medical conditions, including cancer. Quite a terrifying situation, isn't it? Well, forewarned is forearmed. Modern-day brings challenges, but fortunately, we have a proper instrument to monitor the risks.

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On average, a U.S. resident receives an annual radiation exposure from natural sources of about 310 3.1 millisieverts or mSv. Radon and thoron gasses account for two-thirds of this exposure. Cosmic, terrestrial, and internal radiation account for the rest.

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Natural and artificial radiation may come from different sources, but both affect us similarly. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) does not regulate background radiation. But the NRC requires its licensees to limit exposure to public members to 1 mSv per year above background. Exposure to adults working with radioactive materials must be below 50 mSv per year. NRC's radiation exposure limits are contained in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 20.

Food

Most food going into the mall food courts and supermarkets is not necessarily tested for radioactivity. Not all food is tested for radioactivity before it reaches the counter. And some food sources are more exposed to this danger, such as oceanic fish that visit the regions affected by the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster or a recent nuclear leak that may be related to new nuclear-powered strategic weapons Russia is developing.

It is also important to check agricultural produce.

Vegetables and fruits, especially mushrooms, actively absorb radioactive substances, and radiation cannot be washed off or removed from food during cooking.

That is why we ensured that Colbo has the radiation measurement feature.

Radioactive contamination is quite common in fertilizer production. Take the infamous Florida toxic breach that came into public focus in 2021. Before phosphate can help crops grow in fertilizer, it goes through a heavily polluting chemical process. Phosphate ore mined from the soil is treated to create phosphoric acid – a central fertilizer component. The by-product of the process is Phosphogypsum radioactive waste which requires indefinite storage. For every ton of desirable phosphoric acid produced for fertilizer, more than five tons of phosphogypsum waste remains. An estimated one bn tons of phosphogypsum is housed in about two dozen stacks that dot the Florida landscape, some looming as high as 200 ft, each with its pond of acidic wastewater on top. And every year, the industry adds about 30mil tons to this storage.

However, besides food, there are many other ways a person risks becoming exposed to radioactive emissions, for example, construction materials.

The danger of using radiation-contaminated building materials is that even a relatively weak radiation source, acting for a long time, can lead to disastrous health consequences.

So that our customers do not have to check every single location they visit, our device is equipped with the ability to log and monitor radiation levels over time automatically. The customer can see the history of measurements and identify places to avoid along the route. This feature works even when the device is on standby.

Nuclear Energy

Safety standards are quite high when it comes to nuclear energy, but all it takes is just one accident, a slip-up by an overworked employee, or a natural disaster. Unfortunately, such accidents happen.

· 2019- Nebraska,

· 2016- Michigan,

· 2014- Florida.

These are just the recent ones in the U.S. alone.

Do you have to be close to an accident to be affected? Not necessarily! Water, food, and raw/construction materials can be contaminated, transported, and used in other regions. And overseas suppliers might not be as diligent when it comes to reporting accidents at all.

Traditional methods of measuring radiation

Knowing if you are in danger is the first step to protecting yourself and your family.

There are devices out there that can measure radiation. Geiger counters are the most common type of such device, but they are not a common household item. Here is why:

• You cannot have a Geiger counter always with you, and in logging mode, most of them are made for one-time measurement.
• While the choice of devices is vast, some require to be calibrated (often once a year) by a professional to keep reading accurately. Where do you even find a person like that?
• Many Geiger counters are bulky, have large black and yellow radiation stickers, and emit a very recognizable "crackling" sound when used. Pulling out one to test your water/food in a cafe or your child's new crib at the store can cause panic.

The new and improved way of detecting radiation with COLBO

Our device can provide accurate readings throughout the day, showing you if your work, home environments, and commute are safe.

Colbo is the size of a compact mobile phone, easy to carry around, and does not attract attention or scare you when you take it out in public. It does not require complex maintenance, calibrating, or hard-to-follow safety protocols and offers a variety of features besides radiation detection.

Subscribe to learn more about ways to protect yourself and your family with Colbo!

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