Professional Documents
Culture Documents
nuclear fuel cycle, through operation, and (in Europe) from the lingering effects of the
Chernobyl accident.
Radioactive contamination is the uncontrolled distribution of radioactive material in a
given environment. The amount of radioactive material released in an accident is called
the source term.
Nuclear energy poses a threat to not only the enviornment, but to human health and life
as well from the dangers of uranium mining, the power plants themselves, transportation,
and storage of waste. Each step in nuclear power poses great risks for human beings.
2,6-dihydroxybenzoic acid
Some other work on the binding of actinides with aromatic carboxylates has been
reported. A paper on the binding of neptunium(V) {neptunyl} with benzene-1,2,4,5-
tetracarboxylic acid has been reported by F. Nectoux et al., Journal of the Less-Common
Metals, 1984, 97, 1-10.
Benzene-1,2,4,5-tetracarboxylic acid
A PhD thesis on the interactions of uranium with Boom Clay has been published.[14]
It is interesting to note that A. Rossberg, L. Baraniak, T. Reich, C. Hennig, G. Bernhard
and H. Nitsche, Radiochimica Acta, 2000, 88, 593-597 describes an EXAFS study of the
interactions of uranium with the degradation products of wood such as protocatechuic
acid (3,4-dihydroxy-benzoic acid), catechol (2-hydroxyphenol), pyrogallol (1,2,3-
trihydroxybenzol), and vanillic acid (4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoic acid).
Animals
It has been reported that uranium has caused reproductive effects, and other health
problems in rodents, frogs and other animals.
Uranium was shown to have cytotoxic, genotoxic and carcinogenic effects in animal
studies (PMID 7694141, PMID 16283518). It has been shown in rodents and frogs that
water soluble forms of uranium are teratogenic (PMID 16124873, PMID 11738513,
PMID 12539863)
Prevention
See also: Radiation protection.
The best prevention for radiation sickness is to minimize the dose suffered by the human,
or to reduce the dose rate.
[edit] Distance
Increasing distance from the radiation source reduces the dose due to the inverse-square
law for a point source. Distance can be increased by means as simple as handling a
source with forceps rather than fingers.
[edit] Time
The longer that humans are subjected to radiation the larger the dose will be. The advice
in the nuclear war manual entitled "Nuclear War Survival Skills" published by Cresson
Kearny in the U.S. was that if one needed to leave the shelter then this should be done as
rapidly as possible to minimize exposure.
In chapter 12 he states that "Quickly putting or dumping wastes outside is not hazardous
once fallout is no longer being deposited. For example, assume the shelter is in an area
of heavy fallout and the dose rate outside is 400 R/hr enough to give a potentially fatal
dose in about an hour to a person exposed in the open. If a person needs to be exposed
for only 10 seconds to dump a bucket, in this 1/360th of an hour he will receive a dose of
only about 1 R. Under war conditions, an additional 1-R dose is of little concern."
In peacetime, radiation workers are taught to work as quickly as possible when
performing a task which exposes them to irradiation. For instance, the recovery of a lost
radiography source should be done as quickly as possible.
[edit] Shielding
By placing a layer of a material which will absorb the radiation between the source and
the human, the dose and dose rate can be reduced. For instance, in the event of a nuclear
war, it would be a good idea to shelter within a building with thick stone walls (Fallout
shelter). During the height of the cold war, fallout shelters were identified in many urban
areas. It is interesting to note that, under some conditions, shielding can increase the dose
rate. For instance, if the electrons from a high energy beta source (such as 32P) strike a
lead surface, X-ray photons will be generated (radiation produced in this way is known as
bremsstrahlung). It is best for this reason to cover any high Z materials (such as lead or
tungsten) with a low Z material such as aluminium, wood, plastic. This effect can be
significant if a person wearing lead-containing gloves picks up a strong beta source. Also,
gamma photons can induce the emission of electrons from very dense materials by the
photoelectric effect; again, by covering the high Z material with a low Z material, this
potential additional source of exposure to humans can be avoided. Furthermore, gamma
rays can scatter off a dense object; this enables gamma rays to "go around corners" to a
small degree. Hence, to obtain a very high protection factor, the path in/out of the
shielded enclosure should have several 90 degree turns rather than just one.
Treatment
Treatment reversing the effects of irradiation is currently not possible. Anaesthetics and
antiemetics are administered to counter the symptoms of exposure, as well as antibiotics
for countering secondary infections due to the resulting immune system deficiency.
There are also a number of substances used to mitigate the prolonged effects of radiation
poisoning, by eliminating the remaining radioactive materials, post exposure.
PROTECTING LIVESTOCK
Areas within movable fences, and other small fenced areas that
have covered feeders or self-feeders, can provide emergency
confinement for farm animals after early external radiation
intensity has decreased through decay.
Give cows preferred shelter and clean feed and water. If you
can, milk them before fallout occurs; you may not be able to do
so for several days afterward. If you have calves on the farm
turn them in with the cows. This will help prevent mastitis and
conserve all the feed for the cows. Reduce amounts of water
and concentrated feed to maintenance levels.
Hens that eat contaminated feed will produce eggs that contain
some radioactive elements. Radioactivity in eggs decreases
shortly after the hens are removed from the contaminated
environment and given uncontaminated feed and water.
Any use of the land must wait until external radiation levels are
low enough for persons to work safely outdoors.
http://www.ratical.org/radiation/NRBE/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_effects_of_nuclear_power
http://www.colby.edu/personal/c/clresseg/STS_files/envir.html
http://www.radshelters4u.com/index3.htm