RADIATION POLLUTION

A never ending energy ENDGAME by Mukesh B.

This project deals with radiation pollution and with special

emphasis on Radioactive pollution and the various components
under it.

Radiation pollution

Radiation pollution
A NEVER ENDING ENERGY ENDGAME BY MUKESH B.

CONTENTS

Particulars
Introduction
World Level and National Level The status
Causes and Effects
Measures to Overcome
Responsibilities:
Government

Page Number

Individual
Suggestions and Recommendations
Conclusion
Appendix

INTRODUCTION

The aim is to show people the effect of radiation pollution with the growing sources of such pollution in
our world.

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Radiation pollution

Radiation is the process by which radiant energy is transferred from one place to another in the form of
electro-magnetic waves.
The various types of radiation differ from one another by their frequency or wavelength. Higher the
frequency or lower the wavelength of a radiation, higher will be its energy. Again, higher the energy of
the radiation, it will cause higher damage to the living organisms.
What is Radioactive Pollution? Radioactive pollution, like any other kind of pollution, is the release of
something unwanted into the environment and, in this case, the unwanted thing is radioactive material.
Radioactive pollution can be a very dangerous thing because radiation mutates DNA, causing abnormal
growth and possibly cancer, and this radiation remains in the atmosphere for years, slowly diminishing
over time. There are many causes of radioactive pollution, which can significantly harm the
environment. There are techniques used to manage this pollution, however, we are far from keeping our
planet clean of radioactive pollution.
This project details the definition, sources, causes, effects of radiation pollution with special focus on
radioactive pollution. Additionally, it also covers the various organization which monitor the usage and
peaceful use of its main component that is nuclear reactors.

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ABOUT THE TITLE

I.

RADIATION POLLUTION

Radiation is the process by which radiant energy is transferred from one place to another in the form of
electro-magnetic waves.
The various types of radiation differ from one another by their frequency or wavelength. Higher the
frequency or lower the wavelength of a radiation, higher will be its energy. Again, higher the energy of
the radiation, it will cause higher damage to the living organisms.
Non-ionising Radiation:
These are the radiations which induce the ionisation of atoms and molecules. An atom is ionised when
energy supplied to it separates one or more of its electrons. Ionisation of a molecule produces two
fragments. The radiation pollution is mainly caused by non-ionising radiation.
Alpha (), beta (), and gamma () radiations are mainly responsible for radiation pollution. Alpha
radiation contains energetic -alpha particles. Each alpha particle carries two units of positive charges and
interacts strongly with living tissues.
Beta, radiation is made up of energetics electrons. Each beta particle carries one unit of negative charge
and interacts strongly with matter. Gamma radiations are made up of high energy photons. Photons bring
about strong electro-magnetic interaction with matter.
Sources of Radiation Pollution:
Radiation sources are mainly natural but partly manmade.
The natural sources of radiation may be: Radioactive minerals, Cosmic rays, Radio nuclides.
1. Radioactive Minerals:
The minerals containing Uranium- 235 (U235), Uranium-238 (U238), Thorium-232 (Th232), Plutonium- 239
(Pu239) etc. are capable of emitting energetic radiations causing pollution.

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2. Cosmic Rays:
The cosmic rays containing highly energetic particles reach the surface of the earth causing pollution.
The intensity of cosmic rays depends on latitudes and altitude of the place. The intensity is maximum at
the poles and minimum at the equator.
3 .Radio nuclides:
The unstable radio-nuclides in the atmosphere can be split up into smaller parts emitting energetic
radiation. The smaller radio-nuclides enter into the body of organism along with air during respiration.
The various sources of manmade radiation pollutions may be: Nuclear power plants, Radio-active
wastes, nuclear explosions, and Radio-isotopes.
1. Nuclear Power Plants:
Nuclear power plants emit radiation to a very smaller extent except accidental leaks (Chernobyl accident
of undivided USSR).
2. Radio-active Wastes:
The nuclear power plants produce a lot of nuclear radio-active wastes. The disposal of these wastes has
become a global problem. Some countries producing large quantity of nuclear wastes dump them in
ocean near other countries.
3. Nuclear Explosion:
During nuclear explosion, a large number of radio-nuclides are generated in the atmosphere. The radio nuclides settle down with rain contaminating the soil and water bodies. Finally, these enter into food
chain causing serious problem to the living organisms.
4. Radio-isotopes:

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Radio-isotopes are also prepared artificially either by nuclear fusion or by nuclear fission. If these radioisotopes are not properly handled, these emit radiations causing pollution.
5. Television Set:
Television sets produce radiations which can also cause cancer.

Effect of Radiation Pollution:

When radiation passes through different living organisms the following disorderness takes place:
1. Radiation splits the molecules of the tissues into ions and free radicals and causes mutation by
breaking DMA (Deoxy ribonucleic acid) molecules in the nucleus.
2. Radiation in bone marrow may cause leukemia.
3. Radiation may cause skin burns which may lead to skin cancer.
4. Radiation at pelvic regions of pregnant ladies, cause damage to the foetus.

Control of Radiation Pollution:

Radiation pollution can be controlled in the following ways:
1. Care should be taken to check manmade radiation pollution at source.
2. Nuclear reactor should be perfectly maintained to avoid accidental leakage.
3. Nuclear tests should be banned.

II.

RADIOACTIVE POLLUTION

The natural radiations are also known as the background radiations. In this the cosmic rays are involved
and reach the surface of earth from space. It includes the radioactive elements like radium, uranium,
thorium, radon, potassium and carbon.

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These occur in the rock, soil and water. The man made radiations include the mining and refining of
plutonium and thorium. This production and explosion of nuclear weapons include the nuclear fuels,
power plants and radioactive isotopes.
Radioactive pollution is the increase in natural background radiation emerging from the activities of
human beings involving the use of naturally occurring or artificially produced radioactive materials.
Radioactive substances are those which have the ability to emit high energy particles like alpha and beta
particles and gamma rays. Radioactive substances are unstable in nature and are continuously emitting
these particles in order to gain some stability.

Types of Radioactive Pollution:

Continuous pollution:
This type of condition exists in Uranium mines, nuclear
reactors and laboratories where the humans are under
continuous exposure to radioactive contaminants

Accidental pollution:
This type of condition exists during accidental exposure to
radiations by virtue of equipment failure, radiation leak, faulty
protective equipment

Occasional pollution:
This condition exists during isolated experiment or test of nuclear
substance

Sources of Radioactive Pollution:

The sources of radiation pollution can be both natural and man-made (artificial).

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cosmic rays from outer space

and emissions from
radioactive materials from
the earths crust

mining and processing of

radioactive ores, use of
radioactive material in
nuclear power plants, use of
radioactive isotopes in
medical, industrial and
research applications, and
use of radioactive materials
in nuclear weapons, coal ash

The first atom bomb was exploded in the Japan in the year 1945. It affected the Hiroshima and Nagasaki
cities. It adversely affected the flora, fauna and humans of that area. In spite of these destructions the
nuclear race is still going on between different nations. The nuclear arms are tested with the production
of nuclear weapons.
The radioactive elements are produced in the environment and affect other materials also. It includes the
strontium, radium and iodine. The gases and particles are produced by the radioactive materials. They
are carried by the wind and the rain brings down the radioactive particles to the ground which is referred
as nuclear fallout. The soil transfers these radioactive substances to the plants and ultimately they reach
the human body and cause many side effects. The iodine may affect the white blood cells, bone marrow,
spleen, lymph, skin cancer, sterility, eye and damage to the lung. The strontium has the ability to
aggregate in the bones and form a bone cancer and leads to tissue degeneration.
The radioactive materials are passed through the land to water and cause an adverse effect on the aquatic
animals. They reach to human through the food chain. The nuclear power generates a lot of energy
which is used to run turbines and produces electricity. The fuel and the coolant produce a large amount
of pollution in the environment. The atomic reactors are also rich in the radioactive materials. There
biggest problem is in their disposal and if they are not properly disposed they can harm the living
organisms. If they escape they can cause a hell lot of destruction. The gases escape as a vapor and cause
pollution on the land and water. The use of radioactive isotopes is multipurpose. They are of a great
scientific value and they may be present in the waste water. From these water resources they reach to the
human body via food chain. The people who work in power plants have more chances of the exposure to
harmful radiations. The human beings also receive the radiation and radiotherapy from the x rays.

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WORLD AND NATIONAL LEVEL STATUS

Nuclear reactors around the world:

Nuclear Energy around the world, as of 2015, 30 countries worldwide are operating 438 nuclear reactors
for electricity generation and 67 new nuclear plants are under construction in 15 countries. Nuclear
power plants provided 10.9 percent of the world's electricity production in 2012.
Nuclear reactors in India:

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Organizations concerning Nuclear reactors:

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an international organization that seeks to
promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and to inhibit its use for any military purpose,
including nuclear weapons. The IAEA was established as an autonomous organization on 29 July 1957.
Though established independently of the United Nations through its own international treaty, the IAEA
Statute, the IAEA reports to both the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council.

The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) is a department directly under the Prime Minister of
India with headquarters in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. DAE has been engaged in the development
of nuclear

power technology,

applications

of

radiation

technologies

in

the

fields

of agriculture, medicine, industry and basic research.

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India produces
2% electricity
through Nuclear
power plants

Nuclear energy is also used to generate electricity in India and other countries. The above chart details
the contribution by various sources to electricity generation. It is seen that there still is a lot of potential
to be explored in this field.

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CAUSES AND EFFECTS

There are many causes of radioactive pollution. The causes are, as you may have guessed, radioactive
substances or, more accurately, radioactive waste but only when improperly disposed of. If radioactive
waste is disposed of in the appropriate manner then it does not contribute towards radioactive pollution.
The causes are as follows:

Production of nuclear weapons - radioactive materials used in this production have high
health risks and release a small amount of pollution. Thanks to good current health-standards this
release is not significant and is not a danger to us unless an accident occurs.

Decommissioning of nuclear weapons - the decommissioning of nuclear weapons causes

slightly more radioactive pollution than in the production, however, the waste (alpha particles) is
still of low risk and not dangerous unless ingested.

Mining of radioactive ore (uranium, phosphate etc.) - mining these involves crushing and
processing of the radioactive ores and this generates radioactive waste which emits alpha particles.
This waste is of low risk unless ingested.

Coal ash - it may come as a surprise that coal ash can be very dangerous. Some coal contains
more radioactive material than usual and is often referred to as 'dirty' coal; when this is burnt the
ash becomes more radioactive as the radioactive particles do not burn well. This level of
radioactivity is less than in phosphate rocks, however, due to small amounts being released into the
atmosphere and its ability to be inhaled, this ash is significantly more dangerous.

Medical waste - a number of radioactive isotopes are used in medicine, either for treatment or
diagnostics. These can be left to decay over a short period after which they are able to be disposed
of as normal waste.

Nuclear power plants - nuclear power plants under current standards produce little radioactive
pollution due to safety precautions that must be adhered to. Accidents at these power plants can
cause dangerously high radioactive pollution, such as in the case of Chernobyl, the most wellknown and worst nuclear disaster in history and the more recent Fukushima, after the earthquake
and tidal wave in Japan.

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Other effects:

Radiations may break chemical bonds, such as DNA in cells; this affects the genetic make-up
and control mechanisms.

Fatigue, nausea, vomiting and loss of hair (exposure at low doses of radiations, i.e. 100-250
rads).

The bone marrow is affected, blood cells are reduced, decreased in body immunity, blood fails to
clot, and the irradiated person soon dies of infection and bleeding (exposure at low doses, i.e.
400-500 rads).

Higher irradiation doses (10,000 rads) cause damage to the tissues of heart, brain, etc.

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MEASURES TO OVERCOME
The radioactive pollution can be controlled by number of ways which are as follows:
Leakage from the radioactive materials including the nuclear reactors, industries and laboratories need
to be checked.
The disposal of radioactive material must be safe and secure.
Radioactive materials must be stored in safe places and must be changed into harmless form.
The radioactive wastes with a very low radiation must be put into the sewage.
The nuclear power plants must follow all the safety instructions.
The protective garments must be worn by the workers who work in the nuclear plants.
The natural radiation must be at the permissible limits.
Nuclear devices should be exploded under ground.
Contaminants may be employed to decrease the radioactive emissions.
Production of radio isotopes needs to be minimized.
Extreme precautions should be taken during the disposal of industrial wastes containing radionuclides.
High chimney and ventilations should be used at working places where radioactive contamination is
high.
In nuclear reactors, closed cycle coolant system with gaseous coolants of very high purity may be used
to prevent extraneous activation products.
Fission reactions need to be minimized.
In nuclear mines, wet drilling may be employed along with underground drainage.
Nuclear medicines and radiation therapy should only be applied when absolutely necessary

Some other measures could be:

1. safety measures should be enforced strictly;
2. leakages from nuclear reactors, careless handling, transport and use of radioactive fuels, fission
products and radioactive isotopes have to be totally stopped;

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3. there should be regular monitoring and quantitative analysis through frequent sampling in the
risk areas;
4. waste disposal must be careful, efficient and effective;
5. appropriate steps should be taken against occupational exposure;
6. safety measures should be strengthened against nuclear accidents; and
7. preventive measures should be followed so that background radiation levels do not exceed the
permissible limits.
Thus, we can say that radioactivity causes long range effects, affecting the future of humans and hence,
the future of our civilization.

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RESPONSIBILITIES

Radiation Pollution Control can be done at various levels, including the handling and treatment of
radiation waste, the control and mitigation of nuclear accidents, as well as the control and minimization
of personal exposure to radiation at an individual level.
Treatment of radiation waste cannot be done through degradation by chemical or biological processes.
Additionally, many radioactive materials have very long half-times (time necessary for half of the
material to degrade or transform into non-radioactive materials) and thus radiation waste may pose a risk
for many years after it was produced. Basically, there are only few options for radiation waste treatment
involving:

Containment of the waste in radiation-shielded containers usually buried under ground

Isolation of radiation waste in remote locations such as remote caves or abandoned mines which may also involve the use of some kind of barriers (shields),

When the first two alternatives are not possible, the waste may be diluted till
background values are achieved.
Heat and Radiation Pollution basically radiation is a method of heat transfer. While radiation
may be generated in any conditions, the heat increases the amount of radiation and thus may increase
the health risk. For example, radiation is concentrated in the ash due to burning processes. Also, the
higher the heat, the higher the energy of radiation produced (e.g., UV rays are produced by hot bodies
such as the sun). This is why radiation waste should be stored in cold places, away from any
heating source.
Law Enforcement for Radiation Pollution Control in the U.S., environmental standards designed
tom protect human health from radiation are issued by EPA along with guidance for federal agencies
related to radiation exposure standards/limits. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is the federal
agency responsible to implement some of the EPAs regulation and standards. The Department of Energy
(DOE) implements the standards at their facilities.

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At individual levels, there are measures you may take to prevent and/or reduce radiation pollution that
may affect you and your family. Here are some examples:

First, testing of your home for radon may be done by each person using inexpensive testing kits
or by specialized consulting services. If radiation seems to be an issue (a higher than background value
of radon in home is found), a preferred radon reduction technique is the installation of a special system
called active soil depressurization (ASD). This system contains a vent pipe with an inline centrifugal
fan that operates continuously to vent radon and other intruding gases from beneath the house. Thus, the
system may be efficient to block the intrusion into homes not only of radon, but also of other toxic
chemicals (non-radioactive) that may get from the subsurface into indoor breathing air.

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SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

In this world with increasing use of technology and increasing need for energy cannot argue to
completely ban the use of any radiation source. We can only adopt measures that limit our exposure and
prevent ourselves from effects coming from radiation sources.

One suggestion would be to familiarize oneself with various hazard symbols associated with these
hazrds as given below

Non ionising
radiation

Ionising
radiation

Radiation danger
high level sources sign

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CONCLUSION
On one hand, the peaceful uses of radioactive materials are so wide and effective that modern
civilization cannot go without them, and on the other hand, there is no cure for radiation damage.
However, the only option against nuclear hazards is to check and prevent radioactive pollution by taking
the following measures and precautions. Since radioactive pollution is highly hazardous to human health
therefore prevention and control of radioactive pollution is inevitable.

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APPENDIX
I.

http://www.environmentalpollutioncenters.org/radiation/stop/

II.

http://www.environmentalpollutioncenters.org/radiation/facts/

III.

http://socio-economic-issues-world.blogspot.in/2011/06/radioactive-pollution-effects-and.html

IV.

http://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel-cycle/nuclear-wastes/radioactivewaste-management.aspx

V.

http://www.sciencelog.net/2014/12/radioactive-pollution-causes-and-effect.html

Some additional pictures:

1. Kudunkulam Project in Tamilnadu

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2. Sources of radiation:

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