Nuclear accident

There have been a number of reported human exposures to high dose radiation, resulting from accidents at nuclear power plants (e.g., Chernobyl), atomic bombings (Hiroshima and Nagasaki), and mishaps in industrial and medical settings. If absorbed radiation doses are high enough, evolution of acute radiation syndromes (ARS) will likely impact both the bone marrow as well as the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Damage incurred in the latter can lead to nutrient malabsorption, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, altered microbiome and metabolites, and impaired barrier function, which can lead to septicemia and death...

After the Fukushima nuclear disaster, the nuclear materials community has been vastly investing in accident tolerant fuel (ATF) concepts to modify/replace Zircaloy cladding material. Iron-chromium-aluminum (FeCrAl) alloys are one of the leading contenders in this race. In this study, we investigated FA-SMT (or APMT-2), PM-C26M, and Fe17Cr5.5Al over a time period of 6 months in simulated BWR environments and compared their performance with standard Zirc-2 and SS316 materials. Our results implied that water chemistry along with alloy chemistry has a profound effect on the corrosion rate of FeCrAl alloys...

Both cutaneous radiation injury and radiation combined injury (RCI) could have serious skin traumas, which are collectively referred to as radiation-associated skin injuries in this paper. These two types of skin injuries require special managements of wounds, and the therapeutic effects still need to be further improved. Cutaneous radiation injuries are common in both radiotherapy patients and victims of radioactive source accidents, which could lead to skin necrosis and ulcers in serious conditions. At present, there are still many challenges in management of cutaneous radiation injuries including early diagnosis, lesion assessment, and treatment prognosis...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

The contamination of the Baltic Sea with radioactive substances occurred due to the global fallout of atmospheric nuclear weapon tests and the Chernobyl disaster. The knowledge of 241 Am in the sediments of the Baltic Sea is limited. Thus, this study aimed to determine 241 Am in sediment cores collected from the southern Baltic Sea. Time-based distributions were derived from age-depth profiles using the 210 Pb dating method and further corroborated by 137 Cs profiles. The activities of 241 Am were measured by alpha spectrometry after radiochemical purification...

Waste liquid stored in the containment sumps of nuclear power plants may contain a variety of radionuclides. Real-time monitoring of containment sump waste liquid can ensure that accidents, such as leakage of cooling water, can be avoided. This paper presents the design of a radioactive monitoring system for waste liquid in a containment sump. The detector and the lead-shield in the measurement unit are optimized through Monte Carlo simulations. Experimental verification showed that the background count rate of the measurement chamber in the system was 418...

The radionuclide concentration of man-made radionuclides on non-human biota in freshwater ecosystems has been extensively studied in environments affected by the Chernobyl and Fukushima accidents, in both humid continental and subtropical climates, respectively. However, there are very few studies that assess the long-term effects of operating nuclear facilities in Mediterranean environments. In the present study, a temporal analysis of the impact on carp, cattail, and bulrushes in the cooling pond of the currently operating Almaraz nuclear power plant was investigated for the period 2000-2020...

This paper presents a multidisciplinary analysis of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. Along with the latest observations and simulation studies, we synthesize the time-series and event progressions during the accident across multiple disciplines, including in-plant physics and engineering systems, operators' actions, emergency responses, meteorology, radionuclide release and transport, land contamination, and health impacts. We identify three key factors that exacerbated the consequences of the accident: (1) the failure of Unit 2 containment venting, (2) the insufficient integration of radiation measurements and meteorology data in the evacuation strategy, and (3) the limited risk assessment and emergency preparedness...

The system of radiological protection has been based on linear no-threshold theory and related dose-response models for health detriment (in part related to cancer induction) by ionizing radiation exposure for almost 70 y. The indicated system unintentionally promotes radiation phobia, which has harmed many in relationship to the Fukushima nuclear accident evacuations and led to some abortions following the Chernobyl nuclear accident. Linear no-threshold model users (mainly epidemiologists) imply that they can reliably assess the cancer excess relative risk (likely none) associated with tens or hundreds of nanogray (nGy) radiation doses to an organ (e...

The harm that society expects from ionizing radiation does not match experience. Evidently there is some basic error in this assumption. A reconsideration based on scientific principles shows how simple misunderstandings have exaggerated dangers. The consequences for society are far-reaching. The immediate impact of ionizing radiation on living tissue is destructive. However, this oxidative damage is similar to that produced during normal metabolic activity where the subsequent biological reaction is not only protective but also stimulates enhanced protection...

The linear no-threshold (LNT) model may be useful as a simple basis for developing radiation protection regulations and standards, but it bears little resemblance to scientific reality and is probably overly conservative at low doses and low dose rates. This paper is an appeal for a broader view of radiation protection that involves more than just optimization of radiation dose. It is suggested that the LNT model should be replaced with a risk-informed, targeted approach to limitation of overall risks, which include radiation and other types of risks and accidents/incidents...

Collection and cooking of wild vegetables have provided seasonal enjoyments for Japanese local people as provisioning and cultural ecosystem services. However, the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in March 2011 caused extensive radiocesium contamination of wild vegetables. Restrictions on commercial shipments of wild vegetables have been in place for the last 10 years. Some species, including buds of Aralia elata, are currently showing radiocesium concentrations both above and below the Japanese reference level for food (100 Bq/kg), implying that there are factors decreasing and increasing the 137Cs concentration...

When radioactive materials are released into the environment due to nuclear power plant accidents, they may enter into the body, and exposing it to internal radiation for long periods of time. Although several agents have been developed that help excrete radioactive elements from the digestive tract, only one type of radioactive element can be removed using a single agent. Therefore, we considered the simultaneous removal of caesium (Cs) and strontium (Sr) by utilising the multiple metal removal mechanisms of probiotic bacteria...

Long-term deposition of atmospheric radioactive iodine-129 (129 I) is important for assessing the impact of human nuclear activities (HNAs), but still not well understood in East Asia. In this study, we quantitatively reconstructed the deposition history of airborne 129 I using varved sediment from Sihailongwan Maar Lake (SHLW) in northeast China. Our results revealed significant increases in 129 I concentrations and 129 I/127 I atomic ratios since the 1950s, indicating the influence of HNAs on the environment and marking the onset of the Anthropocene...

Cr coatings with a thickness of about 19 μm were synthesized on Zr-4 cladding using plasma-enhanced arc ion plating. A Zr-Cr micro-diffusion layer was formed via Cr ion cleaning before deposition to enhance the interface bonding strength. Cr coatings exhibit an obvious columnar crystal structure with an average grain size of 1.26 μm using SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and EBSD (electron backscatter diffraction) with a small amount of nanoscale pores on the surface. A long-term aqueous test at 420 ± 3 °C, 10...

The removal and recovery of radioactive Sr(II) from wastewater and seawater has been of great concern due to the negative environmental impacts of nuclear energy development and the potential risk of nuclear accidents. Herein, a facile molten salt synthesis strategy was developed to systematically investigated the reaction of different types of MXenes with nitrates. Among the products, K+ intercalated hierarchical titanate nanostructures (K-HTNs) obtained from the direct chemical transformation of multilayered Ti3 C2 Tx exhibited unique layered structures, good physicochemical properties, and outstanding adsorption performance for Sr(II)...

The manipulation of unsealed radiopharmaceuticals by healthcare workers can cause accidental personal contamination leading to occupational radiation skin dose. The UK Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 (IRR17) require that potential skin doses arising from reasonably foreseeable accident scenarios are included in risk assessments. Workers must be designated as classified if these dose estimates exceed 150 mSv equivalent dose averaged over 1 cm2. Updates from the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recently prompted many in the UK to review the classification of workers in Nuclear Medicine...

In Korea, decommissioning of NPPs and transportation of the decommissioning waste are expected to expand in the near future. It is necessary to confirm that radiological risks to the public and workers are not significant through radiological safety assessment. The objective of this study is to assess the radiological safety for transportation of RPV waste, which is a major decommissioning waste with relatively high level of radioactivity. It was assumed that the waste would be tranported to the Gyeongju disposal facility by land transportation...

The Fukushima Daiichi accident resulted in the release of a novel form of radioactive Cs contamination into the environment, called Cs-bearing microparticles (CsMP). CsMPs constitute a substantial portion of the radioactive pollution near the nuclear power station and traveled beyond several hundred kilometers. Extensive characterization of the CsMPs revealed an amorphous silica matrix, along with Cs and other minor or trace elements such as Fe and Zn. This study explores the unclear generation mechanism of CsMPs by conducting experimental molten core concrete interactions (MCCI) as a source of Si and analyzing the resultant aerosols...

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the leading cause of endocrine disorders among females of reproductive age and is linked with autoimmune disorders. PCOS has been associated with autoantibodies such as antinuclear antibody (ANA), anti-thyroid, and anti-Smith (anti-SM). Young patients with PCOS and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have up to a 10-fold increase in stroke. We present a case of a patient with a history of PCOS (on metformin), hypothyroidism, and pulmonary embolism who presented to the emergency room with acute left-sided weakness...