Nuclear waste

Being a student of radiology and an environmental activist I really love to discuss on this topic.

Radioactivity is a process by which an unstable atomic nucleus losses energy by emitting ionizing particles or electromagnetic rays during process, the different kinds of radiation associated with radioactivity are Alpha Radiation, Beta Radiation and Gamma Radiation.

Let me introduce little bit about these radiations:

Alpha Radiation: Consists of particles carrying positive charge whose source is Americium metal gives of this radiation so called its name as Alpha.

Beta Radiation: consists of particles carrying negative charge whose source is Stronitum-90 soft reactive metal gives beta radiation.

Gamma Radiations:  It is charge less electromagnetic radiation with shorter wavelength than electromagnetic radiation. Its sources are gamma radiation is often emitted with alpha and beta radiation.

Radioactive waste: Usually product of Nuclear Process such as Nuclear Fission, Industries not directly connected to nuclear power industry may also produce radioactive waste that are classified into natural radioactive waste and artificial radioactive waste. Majority of wastes originate from nuclear fuel cycle and nuclear weapon processing as well as naturally occurring radioactive materials.

There are different things to be discussed about nuclear waste from its production to half life time for nuclear waste along with different reactions, mathematical modelling that we do in our university, let me only discuses about its harmful effects and what we can do to reduce it-

There are  many radioactive waste for example Nuclear Bomb production, nuclear waste can be levelled by the amount of radioactivity the waste produces which is categorized into 3 main levels,

1.       Very Low level waste: it contains very low concentration of radioactivity which includes materials used to handle the highly radioactive parts of nuclear reactors, waste from medical procedures involving radioactive treatments or X-rays, CT-scan. I t is comparatively easy to dispose of. The origins: from operation and decommissioning of nuclear facilities.

2.       Low and intermediate Level waste: Contains concentrations or qualities of radionuclides. Its is often separated into short lived and long lives wastes.

3.       High level waste: Contains heat-generating radionuclides with long and short lived radionuclide concentrations.

Radioactive waste was first originated in south Africa by nuclear fuel cycle.

The most significant high-level waste from a nuclear reactor is the used nuclear fuel left after it has spent about three years in the reactor generating heat for electricity. Low-level waste is made up of lightly-contaminated items like tools and work clothing from power plant operation and makes up the bulk of radioactive wastes. Items disposed of as intermediate-level wastes might include used filters, steel components from within the reactor and some effluents from reprocessing.

Generating enough electricity for one person produces just 30 grams of used fuel each year.

High-level wastes make just 3% of the total volume of waste arising from nuclear generation, but they contain 95% of the radioactivity arising from nuclear power. Low-level wastes represent 90% of the total volume of radioactive wastes, but contain only 1% of the radioactivity.

Some of the preventive measures can be:

1.       Before disposal, nuclear waste needs to be in solid form and resistant to leaching.

2.       Packaging should be appropriate to the waste and its disposal.

3.       High-activity waste requires shielding.

4.       Avoid constructing nuclear power plants, avoid using nuclear weapon, have proper treatment of nuclear waste.

5.       Avoid mining for uranium to a minimal.

The major methods that we do in labs can be incineration and compaction, cementation, vitrification, synroc and composite wasteforms, engineered encapsulation.

Hope these information are useful as being a student of radiology i am doing research on the same topic too which have a adverse effect on health and environment. Hope i could share the result of my research soon here..