The story behind the blue glow: The cesium 137 accident in Goiânia (Brazil) and its consequences 36 years ago, on 13/09/1987, the biggest radiological accident in Brazil and the world occurred in an urban area: the accident with cesium 137 in Goiânia, capital of Goiás. The tragedy began when two garbage collectors found a device radiotherapy unit abandoned in a deactivated clinic in the city center. They took the equipment to a scrapyard, where it was dismantled and exposed to a radioactive material, cesium chloride, which gave off a blue glow in the dark.

The owner of the scrapyard, Devair Ferreira, was fascinated by the white powder and showed it to his family and friends, unaware of the danger he was in. Cesium 137 is a chemical element that undergoes nuclear disintegration, releasing radiation that can cause harm to health and the environment. Cesium radiation quickly spread throughout the city, contaminating people, animals, objects and food.

The first victims began to feel symptoms of radiation exposure, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and skin burns. They went to hospitals, but the doctors did not know how to diagnose the cause of the illness. The accident was only discovered on September 29, when Devair's wife took a piece of the device to the Health Surveillance Department. A nuclear physicist recognized the radioactive material and contacted the National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN), which initiated an emergency plan.

The cesium 137 accident caused four direct deaths and more than 600 people with some degree of contamination. Around 112,000 people were examined and more than 3,000 tons of radioactive waste were collected. The scrapyard and the victims' homes were demolished and the rubble was buried in a special dump. The consequences of the accident are still felt by the victims and their families, who suffer from health problems.