From my understanding, radiation is just gamma rays which are electromagnetic waves with really high frequency (and energy). While I do understand how they can be harmful when exposed to them (killing off cells etc.), I can’t wrap my head around how does something gets contaminated by radiation and continues to be radioactive sometimes for hundreds of years even when the source of the gamma rays is long gone.
In: Physics
It usually means that it is contaminated by radioactive isotops. Because of the presence of those materials in their systems they become radioctive themselves (although usually not much so as to pose a threat to others than their own bodies), but if consumed by predators they pass the radioactive materials to those, increasing the concentration in the predator’s body. The longer the contaminated food source is used, and the higher up the consumer is in the food chain, the higher the concentration of radioactive materials becomes in the body, leading to radiation poisoning. Note that this culmination of concentration is possible only because living organisms cannot clear out their systems of heavy metals, which radioactive materials are all are.
For example, after the accident in Fukushima radioactive dust has spilled in the water. There it has been absorbed by plants and eaten by fish. These plants and animals are then considered contaminated by radiation, and thus not fit for consumption, especially by humans.
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