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Description - Figure 1: Possible pathways for exposure to radiation in the environment (Health Canada, 2014)

Possible sources and routes of radiation exposure from the environment to a human are depicted. A human figure stands surrounded by the ground; vegetation; a cow to represent water, meat, milk, vegetables and fruit; and a nuclear facility emitting a potentially contaminated plume. Although the sources of radiation dose exposure may be natural or due to human activity, a complete assessment of possible exposure always includes consideration of external dose from materials present in the earth or deposited on the earth and vegetation, external dose from airborne materials; internal dose from inhalation of airborne material, and internal dose from ingestion of food and water.