Wagheri College , Saswad Arts , Commerce & Science Pune- 412301 Case Study On Chernobyl nuclear disaster Rohan vilas zende SY Bachelor of computer science Environment ScienceWhat caused the Chernobyl Disaster? In the early morning of 26 April 1986, one of the four reactors at the Chernobyl nuclear power station ran out of control while engineers were running safety tests. Within four seconds, a power surge of 100 times normal output led to a violent explosion and fire. The 1,000 tonne concrete top of the reactor building was blown off and huge chunks of blazing, radioactive material were blasted into the air like a volcanic explosion. The reactor burned furiously and highly radioactive debris was scattered around and inside the reactor building. @ contratWhat caused the Chernobyl Disaster? The reactor burned for a week, spewing out radiation, and was eventually put out by helicopters dumping tonnes of sand, and fire fighters and site works fighting the blaze. Hundreds of thousands of people, many of them soldiers, were drafted in to clean up the site. They had very little in the way of protective clothing and were only allowed into the reactor building for 90 seconds at a time. They were called the ‘liquidators’. The clean-up work continued for two years as the entire reactor building was sealed in a huge concrete tomb-like structure known as the Sarcophagus.The monument to the “Liquidators” - who lost their lives putting out the firesWhere is Chernobyl? Chernobyl is about 1,500 miles from Britain, 60 miles north of Kiev, capital of the Ukraine in Eastern Europe. Now an independent country, in 1986 the Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. Just to the north is the international border with Belarus, then also part of the Soviet Union. Belarus was to be the country worst affected by the disaster. The nuclear power station was Soviet designed and built, SE a vo Ty En) Coa rea)What happened to those nearby? Direct casualties of the explosion were rushed off to hospitals as far away as Moscow. Then it became clear that because of the intense radioactive fallout, all the surrounding population would have to be evacuated — 14,000 people. Police surrounded Pripyat, the nearest town (2.5kmOn Sunday 27 April, at 1.50pm, local radio announced the start of a mass evacuation. At 2pm, 1,100 buses began to pick up the 40,000 residents. Almost all belongings had to be left behind. Sunday lunches were left on tables, pets and livestock abandoned. By 4.20pm the town was empty. In all, more than 110,000 men, women and children were evacuated from surrounding areas.Illnesses and deaths Immediately after the accident about 30 people died but this was just the beginning of the deaths, illnesses and changes to DNA Although it is impossible to say with certainty that a particular cancer has a particular cause, statistics imply that the accident at Chernobyl has had a catastrophic effect on the populations of nearby areas. There had been up to the year 2002 about 4,000 cases of thyroid cancer reported in children and adolescents who were exposed at the time of the accident, and more cases can be expected during the next decades.Aftermath of the Chernoby] disaster (On April 26, 1986, an explosion occurred at the fourth reactor of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the Ukrainian SSR, now Ukraine = Number of people kiled in the fist three months after the disaster: 34 = Number of people killed dve othe long-term effects of radiation (15 years: ‘60-80 = Number of people who survived acute radiation syndrome: 134 ‘= Number of people involved in clean-up operations: Over 600,000 Ground contamination «Five milion hectares of farmland were taken out of use Map showing radioactive contamination with cesium-137, a harmful substance with a long half-life that formed in the disaster * Radius of the exclusion zone ‘round the Chernobyl Nuclear PowerPlant: 30 kilometers Total area of affected regions, thousands of square kilometers Curies per square The curie (symbol Ci) isan offsystem unit of radioactivity. Ukraine Inadditon to the cure, radioactivity can be measured using the becquerel (Bq, which is equal to one decay per second. Therefore: 1 Ci= 37x10" BqGigantic Shield Moves Into Place To Cover Exploded Chernobyl Reactor In Chernobyl, the site of the world's worst nuclear disaster, a giant protective shield is slowly being moved into place a couple of feet at a time. The concrete and steel arch is billed as the "largest movable land-based structure ever built," and it is seen as an important step toward ultimately securing and dismantling the still dangerous reactor. The shield, which was built over several years in the shadow of the Chernobyl reactor, is designed to secure the site for at least 100 years.Environmental impact The Chernobyl nuclear disaster caused significant contamination of water bodies, including the Pripyat River and the Dnieper reservoir system, which supplied water to Kiev's population. This contamination primarily stemmed from radioactive substances like iodine-131, cesium-137, and strontium-3D. Initially, there were worries about the safety of drinking water, leading to temporary adjustments in radioiodine concentration guidelines.Authorities stated that most of the radioactive Particles settled at the bottom of water bodies and would remain insoluble for centuries. To address concerns, Kiev switched its water source from the Dnieper to the Desna River. Additionally, extensive measures were undertaken, such as constructing large silt traps and a deep underground barrier, to prevent contaminated groundwater from reaching the Pripyat River. Fortunately, groundwater was not severely affected due to the rapid decay of short-lived radioactive elements and the absorption of longer-lived ones by surface soils. However, within the 30-kilometer exclusion zone around Chernobyl, waste disposal sites contributed to groundwater contamination. Despite this, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report suggests that the off-site transfer of radioactive substances from these sites beyond the exclusion zone had minimal impact compared to the ongoing washout of surface- deposited radioactivity.Lessons Learned: The Chernobyl Disaster served as a stark reminder of the inherent risks associated with nuclear power and the critical importance of safety, transparency, and accountability in the industry. The following are key lessons learned from this tragic event: Safety Protocols: Emphasized the need for robust safety protocols, including fail-safe mechanisms and comprehensive emergency response plans. Human Factors: Highlighted the significance of human factors in nuclear operations, such as training, communication, and decision-making under stressful conditions. Regulatory Oversight: Led to stricter regulatory oversight and international cooperation in nuclear safety standards and practices. Public Awareness: underscored the necessity of transparent communication with the public during nuclear emergencies, including accurate risk assessment and timely evacuation measures. Technological Innovation: Stimulated advancements in nuclear reactor design, such as improved containment structures, passive safety features, and risk mitigation strategies.Conclusion: The Chernobyl Disaster stands as a tragic yet pivotal event in human history, shaping the trajectory of nuclear energy policies, safety protocols, and public perception worldwide. It serves as a cautionary tale of the catastrophic consequences of technological failures, organizational shortcomings, and a lack of prioritization of safety and accountability. Moving forward, the legacy of Chernobyl compels us to continue advancing safety standards, fostering transparency, and integrating lessons learned into the fabric of nuclear energy management to ensure a secure and sustainable future.