Nuclear Hazards

Presenters:
Jezreel Ranchez Archie Cabasal
Angeline Adoremos Alinor Taurak
Christopher Panes
 Definition

• Risk or danger to human health or the

environment posed by radiation emanating
from the atomic nuclei of a given
substance, or the possibility of an
uncontrolled explosion originating from a
fusion or fission reaction of atomic nuclei
([Link]
concept/12793).
Fusion
• A nuclear reaction in which atomic
nuclei of low atomic number fuse to
form a heavier nucleus with the
release of energy.
 Fission

• A nuclear reaction in which a heavy

nucleus splits spontaneously or on
impact with another particle, with the
release of energy.
 NUCLEAR HAZARDS

•  Nuclear power is being used world wide

for the generations of electricity.
• 17% of electricity energy consumed comes
from nuclear power.
• Radioactive substance are present in
nature .

• They undergo natural radioactive

decay in which unstable isotopes
spontaneously give out.

• Fast moving particles, high energy

radiation or both, at a fixed rate until a
new stable isotope is formed.
• The isotopes released either in the form of
Gamma rays (High energy Electromagnetic
radiation). Alpha and Beta particles
( Ionization particles).
 Ionizing and Non-ionizing
Radiation
• Ionizing radiation is a form of
energy that acts by removing
electrons from atoms and molecules of
materials that include air, water, and
living tissue. Ionizing radiation can
travel unseen and pass through these
materials.
Non-ionizing radiation
• Exists all around us from many
sources. It is to the left of ionizing
radiation on the electromagnetic
spectrum
 ALPHA PARTICLES

• ALPHA PARTICLES : fast moving

positively charged particles.
BETA PARTICLES
• fast moving negatively charged
electrons. These ionization radiations
have variable penetration power.
 SOURCE OF NUCLEAR
RADIATION
 NATURAL SOURCES :
• Cosmic rays from outer space
Radioactive radon-222, Soil, rocks, air,
water and food
 ANTHROPOGENIC SOURCES :
• Nuclear power plants Nuclear
accidents, X-rays, Diagnostic kits, Test
laboratories
Pathways Of Exposure To Man From
Release of Radioactive Materials
• Natural sources (81%) include radon
(55%), external (cosmic, terrestrial),
and internal (K-40, C-14, etc.)

• Man-made sources (19%) include

medical (diagnostic x-rays- 11%,
nuclear medicine- 4%), consumer
products, and other (fallout, power
plants, air travel, occupational, etc.)
 Source of Nuclear
•
Radation
1. Primarily comes from the nuclear
power plant especially in coolant
reactor.

• Power plants usually reuse the wastes

from the fission product which emits
radioactive in the environment.

• Some also are accidently escape or

not properly contaminated.
 Source of Nuclear
•
Radation
Radon gas also a byproduct of power
plant which is very dangerous to
human health

• Radon is a colorless, odorless

radioactive gas. It is the naturally-
occurring byproduct of uranium, and is
found throughout the world, wherever
traces of uranium exist underground.
Physiological Effect
• No observable effect (< .25 Gy)- .25
Gy is nearly 70 times average annual
radiation exposure!
• White blood cell count drops (.25 to 1
Gy)
• Mild radiation sickness (1 to 2 Gy
absorbed dose)
• Nausea and vomiting within 24 to 48
hours • Headache
• Fatigue
Physiological Effect
• • Weakness Moderate radiation
sickness (2 to 3.5 Gy)
• Nausea and vomiting within 12 to 24
hours • Fever
• Hair loss
• Vomiting blood, bloody stool
• Poor wound healing
• Any of the mild radiation sickness
symptoms can be fatal to sensitive
individuals
Physiological Effect
• Severe radiation sickness (3.5 to 5.5
Gy) • Nausea and vomiting less than 1
hour after exposure
• Diarrhea • High fever
• Any symptoms of a lower dose
exposure
• About 50% fatality Very severe
radiation sickness (5.5 to 8 Gy)
• Nausea and vomiting less than 30
minutes after exposure
• Dizziness
 Physiological Effect
• Low blood pressure
• Any symptoms of a lower dose
exposure > 50% fatality Longer term or
chronic radiation effects include genetic
mutations, tumors/cancer, birth defects,
cataracts, etc.
Effects of Radiactive
Pollution
• Too much exposure can cause damage
in cells and DNA which leads to cancer
and leukemia.

• Immune system weakens as radiation

destroy white blood cells.
 Sievert
• Sievert (Sv) is the unit for the dose of
radiation that affects the human body. The
unit milliSievert (mSv) that we see more
often is its 1 thousandth, and microSievert
(μSv) its 1 millionth. For the impact of
radiation on human health, what counts is
the total amount of radiation (cumulative
dose) the body is exposed to.
 Did you know that..

• Eating banana has equivalent of 0.1 micro-

Sievert.
• Having a dose of 1 Sievert is very
dangerous to human health.
• So its safe to eat banana for about 170
pieces.
We can’t deny that the nuclear
energy is more efficient than other
sources of energy
It has low cost
Low-carbon emmision
But the consequence is rather
disastrous
• Example is the Chernobyl
nuclear incident
Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster
• It happened in 25th-26th of April 1986
• No. 4 reactor exploaded due to human
error
• Up to 30% of Uranium
• deposit of Chernobyl
• was spewed in the
atmosphere
31 people were immediately
died
• In 2005, the predicted
number of casualties is 4000
• 335,000 people were
evacuated due to radiation
exposure
Environmental Effects
• 4 sq. Miles became the “Red Forest”
Plants and animals in that area immediately
died after the fallout
Radioactive decay takes a long period of time
• It makes the soil infertile and it will lead to
soil pollution
• Plants in contaminated area absorbs
radiation, rendering agriculture impossible
• Radioactive material also contribute to
water pollution
In human, effects may varies depending on the
radiation dose
Humans can immediately die from too much
radiation exposure
• High dose of radiation can cause Acute
Radiation Syndrome (ARS)
• Genetic mutations occur
• In the Chernobyl incident, scientists
concluded that radiation is the cause of
increase of cataract and thyroid cancer
patients
CONTROL MEASURES

1 Laboratory generated nuclear wastes should be disposed

off safely and scientifically.

• Nuclear power is the only large-scale energy-producing

technology that takes full responsibility for all its waste
and fully costs this into the product.
• The amount of waste generated by nuclear power is very
small relative to other thermal electricity generation
technologies.
CONTROL MEASURES
• Used nuclear fuel may be treated as a
resource or simply as waste.

• Nuclear waste is neither particularly

hazardous nor hard to manage relative
to other toxic industrial waste.
• Safe methods for the final disposal of
high-level radioactive waste are
technically proven; the international
consensus is that geological disposal
is the best option.
CONTROL MEASURES

• For radioactive waste, this means

isolating or diluting it such that the rate or
concentration of any radionuclides
returned to the biosphere is harmless. To
achieve this, practically all radioactive
waste is contained and managed, with
some clearly needing deep and permanent
burial. From nuclear power generation,
unlike all other forms of thermal electricity
generation, all waste is regulated – none is
allowed to cause pollution
CONTROL MEASURES

[Link] power plants should be located

in areas after careful study of the geology
of the area, tectonic activity and meeting
other established conditions.
- Earthquake can cause massive damage
to the facilities, resulting to linkage of
hazardous substances.
 CONTROL MEASURES
-Nuclear plants are built on the shores of
lakes, rivers, and oceans because these
bodies provide the large quantities of
cooling water needed to handle the
waste heat discharge.
CONTROL MEASURES
3. Appropriate protection against occupational
exposure
5 Ways To Minimize Your Occupational
Radiation Exposure
• Minimizing Occupational Exposure.
• Time.
• Notification by Radiation Equipment
Operator.
• Fluoroscopic Procedures.
• Avoid Direct Beam Exposure.
• Utilize Shielding.
• Specific Shielding Applications.
 CONTROL MEASURE
4. Leakage of radioactive elements from
nuclear reactors, careless use
of radioactive elements as fuel and
careless handling of radioactive isotopes
must be prevented.
Safety measure against accidental
release of radioactive elements must be
ensured in nuclear plants.
CONTROL MEASURE
Unless absolutely necessary, one should
not frequently go for diagnosis by x-
rays.
Regular monitoring of the presence of
radioactive substance in high risk
area should be ensured.
Is radiation dangerous? - Matt
Anticole

[Link]
 Hazards From Radioactive Material |
Radioactivity | Physics | FuseSchool

[Link]
Man Receives Highest Dose of
Nuclear Radiation - This Is What
Happened To Him
 Reference
• [Link]
• [Link]
of-plants/[Link]
• Images from google
• Exclusion zone image –
[Link]
• Casualty –
[Link]
rue-death-toll#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20official%2C%20internatio
nally,result%20of%20the%20radiation%20exposure
• Environmental effects –
[Link]
he-animals-of-chernobyl-and-fukushima
/
• [Link]
• [Link]
n#:~:text=Radon%20is%20a%20colorless%2C%20odorless,traces%20of%20
uranium%20exist%20underground
.
• [Link]
%20measure%20of%20the,dose%20from%20eating%20one%20banana.
 Reference
• [Link]
• [Link]
 Thank you
and May God
Reward you
with Good