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Radiation v. Radiation Contamination
Radiation – particles emitted by unstable (radioactive) atoms
Radiation Contamination – When radioactive isotopes are released into the environment.
Radioactive Contamination & Cleanup
Each atom which emits radiation is capable of damaging your somatic cells.
5 million hydrogen atoms fit on the head of a pin.
So the issue is radioactive particles which are released into the environment.• Dust• Debris• Gases • Dissolved in water• React with water
Or getting those radioactive particles on or in you.
Point is, it’s all about actual, physical, pieces of radioactive material.
An Example
I lose it, bring a kilo of Iodine-131 for show and tell, and place it in the center of the room.
I do the same thing except this time, it’s Iodine-131 dust.
In the Simplest Sense…
The problem is keeping what is inside the Fukushima Daiichi power plant where it is.
But what’s in there?
Bromine-82Calcium-45Carbon-14Cesium-137Chromium-51Cobalt-58Cobalt-60Copper-64Copper-67 Dysprosium-165Dysprosium-166Gadolinium-153Gold-198Gold-199Holmium-166Iodine-125Iodine-131Iridium-192Iron-59
Lutetium-177Mercury-197Mercury-203Molybdenum-99Nickel-63Osmium-191Osmium-194Palladium-103Palladium-109Phosphorous-32Phosphorus-33Platinum-195mRhenium-186Rhenium-188 Samarium-153 Scandium-46 Scandium-47Silver-111 Sodium-24 Strontium-89Strontium-90
Sulphur-35Tellurium-123mThallium-204Thulium-170Tin-113 Tin-117m Tungsten-188 Uranium-235Ytterbium-169 Yttrium-90 Xenon-133
Bromine-82Calcium-45Carbon-14Cesium-137Chromium-51Cobalt-58Cobalt-60Copper-64Copper-67 Dysprosium-165Dysprosium-166Gadolinium-153Gold-198Gold-199Holmium-166Iodine-125Iodine-131Iridium-192Iron-59
Lutetium-177Mercury-197Mercury-203Molybdenum-99Nickel-63Osmium-191Osmium-194Palladium-103Palladium-109Phosphorous-32Phosphorus-33Platinum-195mRhenium-186Rhenium-188 Samarium-153 Scandium-46 Scandium-47Silver-111 Sodium-24 Strontium-89Strontium-90
Sulphur-35Tellurium-123mThallium-204Thulium-170Tin-113 Tin-117m Tungsten-188 Uranium-235Ytterbium-169 Yttrium-90 Xenon-133
Cesium-137Extremely reactive with water
Absorbed and concentrated in musculature
Reacts with water to form 2CsOH
2CsOH easily dissolves in water
Strontium-90Very similar to Calcium
So it’s deposited in the bones during growth
Nuclear testing increased environmental Sr90 many times over
Bad news for our parents
Radioactive Material at Fukushima
1760 tons of fuel total
Reactor 3 has 90 tons of fuel in it.
Storage pool above Reactor 4 has 135 tons of spent fuel.
Compared to 180 tons total at Chernobyl.
TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power Company)
Owns the Fukushima Daiichi Plant.
In charge of the cleanup
Keep in mind, it’s a corporation.
Cleaning up radiation is not exactly a profitable endeavor.
TEPCO has already been bailed out by the Japanese government.
The Issue of Water400 tons of groundwater are pumped into the plant every day
• This water must be stored and decontaminated• Needless to say, stored water is piling up.
Rain water can carry away radioactive materials to the Pacific Ocean.
Recall that 2CsOH is easily dissolved in water.• Dissolved materials are harder to filter out of water.
Additionally, subterranean water flows from the nearby mountains pick up radioactive isotopes which have seeped into the soil and carry them to the ocean.
Removing Nuclear Fuel
Operation underway to remove fuel rods from the site
As of yesterday, the first fuel rod was removed from the Reactor 4 cooling pool
If the rods break or strike one another, it could trigger another meltdown
Tons of material
Probably won’t blow up unless there’s a steam explosion
The Mess22 Rem (Assumed) – 22,000194 Excess Cancers
1.5 Rem Average – 40,00024 Excess Cancers
Living in Denver - .32 Rem
Living in America - .62 Rem
Denver + America = .94 Rem
Estimated deaths after 70 years = ~1,500
Tsunami = 19,000 deaths
Linear No-Threshold Radiation Model
25 Rem = 1% increased cancer risk
1 Rem = .1 Sievert
1 Sievert = Onset of Radiation Illness
3 Sievert = LD50
25 Sievert Across a population = 1 excess cancer
Doesn’t consider inhalation or ingestion
Model could also be wrong
International Obligations
None!
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
International Nuclear Event Scale
Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage
CSCND Liability Pact
Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage
In the event of a nuclear accident, places sole liability on plant operator
Indemnifies everyone else
Contracting states then pay out to affected state
Not yet signed by Japan
Not clear if it applies retroactively
Would only distribute funds to the affected state
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