B.

Tech (Environmental Studies and

Disaster Management)

Nuclear Disaster

Unit 5
Disaster Management
NUCLEAR HAZARDS/ NUCLEAR POLLUTION
 Topic to be discussed

Introduction

Sources of radio active pollution
Nuclear energy, fission and fusion process

Safety of Nuclear Plants

Types of radiation

Pathways Of Exposure to Human

Effects of Ionizing Radiation on living system

Some example of nuclear pollution and their
consequences

Control measure to nuclear pollution

Conclusion
 Radioactive Pollution
It is a invisible energy of wave
(radiation) or particles pollute air
and water; example alfa, beta, gama
particle
Sources of nuclear
pollution

• 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%),
 Causes of Nuclear disaster
Nuclear power plant accidents
Nuclear reactor attacks
Trafficking and thefts
Worldwide nuclear weapon testing
Political issues like war, nuclear power aspirations,
fight between countries to become super power

Example: disaster events such as Hiroshima nuclear

explosion, Syrian civil war, growing militarization of oceans
and outer space.
Categories of nuclear accidents

Nuclear reactor meltdown

Criticality accidents
Decay heat
Transport
Equipment failure
Human error
Lost source
 Nuclear reactions

Nuclear disaster is due to meltdown of nuclear reactor plant

and release of massive amount of radiation and radioactive
materials into the environment .

It is a type of explosion deriving its force from nuclear

reactions- fission and fusion
.
It may be due to human error, system failure, earthquake,
cyclone, flood etc.
 Nuclear energy
Nuclear Fission:
Nuclear energy is known for its high destructive power as evidenced
from nuclear weapons.
Nuclear Fission: In this example, a stray
neutron strikes an atom of U235. It
absorbs the neutron and becomes an
unstable atom of U-236. It then
undergoes fission. These neutrons can
strike other U-235 atoms to initiate
their fission
 Nuclear fusion
(ii) Nuclear fusion: Here two isotopes of a
light element are forced together at
extremely high temperatures (1 billion °C)
until they fuse to form a heavier nucleus
releasing enormous energy in the process.
0.42Mev

One neutron and a huge amount of energy.

E = MC2
1.674927471×10−27 X (3X108)2

It is difficult to initiate the process but it releases more energy than nuclear fission.

There are four nuclear power stations with an installed capacity of 2005 MW.
These are located at Tarapur (Maharashtra), Rana Pratap Sagar near Kota (Rajasthan),
Kalpakkam (Tamil Nadu) and Narora (U.P.).
 Nuclear reactor
 If each neutron releases two more
neutrons, then the number of fissions
doubles each generation. In that case,
in 10 generations there are 1,024
fissions and in 80 generations about 6
x 10 23 (a mole) fissions.
 A nuclear reactor is a device in which
nuclear chain reactions are initiated,
controlled, and sustained at a steady
rate,
Nuclear bomb, in which the chain
reaction occurs in a fraction of a
Graphite:
second and slow
is down the newtron
uncontrolled and controller
causing an
is to control the number of neutron
explosion.
Boron: capable of absorbing many neutrons and
control fission
Lead: molten lead or lead-bismuth eutectic
coolant also absorb alfa, beta and gamma
radiation
 Nuclear reactor meltdown
Nuclear disasters are usually associated with reactor
meltdowns.
A core meltdown accident occurs when the heat generated by
a nuclear reactor exceeds the heat removed by the cooling
systems
If the core continues to heat, the steel wall of the core would
melt.
In a complete reactor meltdown, the temperature may exceed
27000 C
 Safety of Nuclear Plants
• Steel-reinforced concrete and a dome-shaped containment
buildings surround all US reactors (inner wall several feet thick
and outer wall at least 15 inches thick)
• Designed to withstand hurricanes, earthquakes, high winds
• Reactors have detectors to quickly shut down in event of
tremor (about 20% are in regions with seismic activity like
Pacific Rim)
• In considering safety, must address…
• Faults in plant design
• Human error
•
Types of Radiation
Pathways Of Exposure to Human
Pathway of Human radiation exposure
Effects of Ionizing Radiation on living system
• Ionizing radiation has sufficient energy to knock bound
elections out of an atom or molecule
• Includes alpha/beta particles and gamma/x-rays
• Can form highly reactive free radicals with unpaired
electrons
• For example, H2O  [H2O.] + e-
• Rapidly dividing cells in the human body are particularly
susceptible to damage by free radicals
• Radiation can be used to treat certain cancers and Graves
disease of the thyroid
• However, ionizing radiation can also damage healthy cells
• Biological damage determined by radiation dose, type of
radiation, rate of delivery, and type of tissue
 Effects of nuclear pollution on animals
Radiation effects can be somatic or genetic.
Effects on Plants
SOME LIVE EXAMPLES
OF
“NUCLEAR POLLUTION”
Chernobyl Accident- April 26, 1986
• World’s worst nuclear power plant
accident
• Chernobyl in Ukraine on Pripyat River
•Combination of design and operator
error during electrical power safety
check resulted in cascade of events
leading to core breach of Reactor 4 with
subsequent chemical (not nuclear)
explosion
 Chernobyl Accident
• Flow of coolant water interrupted, insufficient
• Graphite used to slow neutrons in reactor caught fire.
Water sprayed on graphite, resulting in hydrogen gas
formation- chemical combustion reaction and explosion
• 2H2O(l) + C(graphite)  2 H2(g) + CO2(g)
• 2H2(g) + O2(g)  2H2O(g)
• Large amount of radioactive fission products dispersed
into atmosphere for 10 days (about 100X greater than
Hiroshima/Nagasaki)
• 150,000 people in 60 km radius permanently evacuated
•several workers immediately, about 30
firefighters/emergency workers from acute radiation
exposure, and a smaller # from subacute effects (overall,
about 60 deaths)
• About 250 million people exposed to radiation levels
which may reduce lifespan
 Chernobyl Accident
•Surrounding farmland (1000 square miles) not farmable due to
high Cs-137 (exception, one small area in Belarus)

• High levels of Cs-137 found down wind in reindeer meat in

Scandinavia

• Contamination effects on plants/animals within 30 km

• Contamination of nearby water bodies and fish

 Chernobyl Accident

• Initial radiation released primarily I-131 (half life= 8

days), later Cs-137 (half life= 30 years)
• Children particularly susceptible to I-131. Thyroid takes
up I- to produce the hormone thyroxine (T4,
growth/metabolism).
• I-131 decays by beta emission with accompanying
gamma ray
• If ingested, can cause thyroid cancer
• About 4000 cases of thyroid cancer in exposed children
(2000), nine related deaths in this group
http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/chernobyl/inf07.htm
 Chernobyl Accident

•Preliminary evidence (2006) suggests increased risk of

leukemia and possibly other cancers in “liquidator” group
and others with higher exposure in the first year- “Among
some 600,000 workers exposed in the first year, the possible
increase in cancer deaths due to this radiation exposure
might be up to a few percent.”
•Surrounding farmland (1000 square miles) not farmable due
to high Cs-137 (exception, one small area in Belarus)
• High levels of Cs-137 found down wind in reindeer meat in
Scandinavia
• Contamination effects on plants/animals within 30 km
• Contamination of nearby water bodies and fish
http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/chernobyl/inf07.htm
The Fukushima Daichi Disaster
The aftermath
 The Fukushima Disaster

On March 11th 2011 a huge earthquake

caused the cooling of the reactors and the cooling of the spent fuel
pools of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plants to fail.
A non-stoppable nuclear disaster unveiled.
The release of radioactive material occurred through pressure relief,
uncontrolled release of radioactive steam, fires, explosions and leakage
and seepage of hundreds of thousands of litres of contaminated water.
Contrary to the Chernobyl disaster (1986) this disaster happened in
multiple reactors at once – and it is still ongoing.
 Release and dissemination for radioactive
materials
first six weeks of the disaster 42% of the total amount of cesium
that was released.

After the explosions also radioactive strontium (up to 250

kilometres from the plants) and plutonium (up to 45 kilometres
Particularly high levels of radiation are measured in the soil outside the 30-km
from the plants) are measured, in addition to iodine and caesium.
(evacuation) zone. Large parts of Japan are contaminated for at least 300 years)
with cesium, mainly in the northeast.
Around 164,000 people were evacuated from the area around the damaged
reactors
workers nearly 2000 were found to be contaminated with a radiation dose above
100 mSv – a dose which causes radiation related diseases. Six workers were
contaminated with doses from 309 mSv to 678 mSv.
Photograph of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Control and Measures
Management of Radioactive Waste
 Nuclear disaster mitigation measures
• Stabilize the electricity supply system
• Store spent fuel in dry casks
• Install filtered vent systems
• Nuclear reactors must be enclosed in broad concrete walls
to prevent the radiation from emerging out
• Workers should wear protective garments and glass
spectacles
• Extreme care should be exercised in the disposal of
industrial waste contaminated with radionuclides
• Prevent sabotage at nuclear facilities
• Ratify a treaty to prohibit military attacks
KI (potassium iodide) is a salt of stable
(not radioactive) iodine that can help
block radioactive iodine from being absorbed by
the thyroid gland, thus protecting this gland
from radiation injury.
Responses
(Instructions issued by Department of Atomic Energy,) Govt. of India
Dos:
Go indoors. Stay inside. Close doors/windows
Switch on radio/TV and look out for public announcement from
your local authority
Cover all food, water and consume only such covered items
If in the open, cover your face and body with a wet
handkerchief/towel. Return home. Have a complete wash and
use fresh clothing
Extend full cooperation with local authorities and obey their
instructions.
Don’ts:
Do not panic
Do not spread and/or believe in rumours
Do not go outside
Avoid water from open well/ponds, exposed crops and
vegetables
Do not disobey any instruction of the district or civil defence
authority who are working tirelessly to ensure safety of
yourself, your family and property.
Action taken during or immediately after disaster
(Crisis management)
Evacuation, search and rescue, saving lives and identification
of dead
Meeting basic needs of the survivor, ie. Shelter,
hospitalization, food and water, personal hygiene, sanitation
etc.
Activating public warning systems
Rehabilitation and reconstruction of damaged infrastructure
Post disaster recovery plans
Resilience after a nuclear power plant or other radiation
emergency requires response and recovery activities that are
appropriately safe, timely, effective, and well organized.
Use of high-level scientific, medical, communication, and
policy expertise
Health and medical issues are given the central role.
Restoration of physical, environmental, economic and social
stability
Removal and disposal of contaminated material in sealed
underwater cask before transporting the containers to a
storage building.
International Day for the Total Elimination of
Nuclear Weapons: 5 worst nuclear disasters
Nuclear weapons have destroyed more than any other man-made
disaster. The International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear
Weapons is celebrated every year on September 26 to bring to
attention what disasters nuclear weapons are capable of.
Most of us only know of the nuclear bombings at Hiroshima and
Nagasaki during World War II and the devastating humanitarian
consequences of the use of nuclear weapons.
Let us know about the five worst nuclear disasters in
the history of mankind:

1. Hiroshima and Nagasaki:

Two nuclear weapons have been exploded by the United
States during the World War II, 1945.
The first event occurred on the morning of August 6, 1945,
on the Japanese city of Hiroshima.
The second event occurred three days later on the city of
Nagasaki.
2. Chernobyl:
The worst nuclear accident in history, that occurred on April
26, 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine.
3. Fukushima:
The nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant
began on March 11, 2011 and resulted in a meltdown of
three of the plant's six nuclear reactors.
4. Three Mile Island:
The Three Mile Island accident was a partial nuclear
meltdown that occurred on March 28, 1979 in one of the
two Three Mile Island nuclear reactors in Dauphin County,
Pennsylvania, United States.
 The first Nuclear test in India

Smiling Buddha (Pokhran-I) was the assigned code name

of India's first successful nuclear bomb test on 18 May
1974. The bomb was detonated on the army base Pokhran
Test Range (PTR), in Rajasthan, by the Indian Army under
the supervision of several key Indian generals.
Conclusion
Prepared by; Dr Naresh Kumar Sahoo