4 SEMESTER TH

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Topic: Radioactive Pollution

Roll No. 17005

Saddiqa Babar
Roll No. 17027
Shakila Yasmin
Roll No. 17038
Kashmala Shahid

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 TERMS ABOUT
RADIOACTIVITY AND RAYS
Radioactivity

Radioactive Element
Radioactive Substance

Types of Rays from Particles

•Alpha Rays

•Beta Rays

•Gamma Rays

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 ALPHA RAYS
These rays occur when an atom undergo radioactive
decay, giving off a particle (alpha particle), consisting of 2
protons and 2 neutrons (HE2)
Due to their mass and charge, they strongly interact with

matter and travel few centimeters

These are unable to penetrate the outer layer of dead skin

but are capable if an alpha emitting substance is ingested

in food or air, of causing serious cell damage
Alexander Litvinenko was poisoned by polonium-210, an

alpha emitter, in his tea

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 BETA RAYS
They either take the form of electron or positron (mass
and size is equal to electron but in positive charge)
Due to smaller mass, they travel few meters and can be

stopped by thick plastic or even stack of paper

It can penetrate skin o few centimeters and pose

somewhat external health risks

Main threat is from internal emission from ingested

material

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 GAMMA RAYS
These are photons, just like light
These contain photons of energy emitted from unstable

nucleus
These have no mass or charge and so can travel much

farther through air

They lose half of their energy (on average) for every 500

feet
These can be stopped by thick or dense layer with high

atomic number materials like lead or depleted uranium

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SOURCES OF RADIATIONS
Natural sources:
•Cosmic radiation

•Terrestrial radiation

•Internal radiation

Man-made sources:

•Production of nuclear weapons

•Mining of radioactive ore

•Medical waste

•Nuclear power plant

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RADIOACTIVE POLLUTION
Release of radioactive substances or high energy particles
into air, water or earth as a result of human activity either
by accident or by design in the form of radioactive waste
Alternative names: radioactive contamination,

radiological contamination
Both terms have same meaning

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 UNIT OF RADIOACTIVE
POLLUTION

SI unit of radioactive activity is Becquerel (Bq), named

in the honor of scientist Henri Becquerel

One
Bq is defined as:
One transformation (or decay or disintegeration0 per
second

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 RADIOACTIVE WASTE
Waste that contains radioactive material is called
radioactive waste
It is a by product of nuclear power generation and other

applications of nuclear fission or technology, such as

research and medicine
Radioactive waste is spread the Earth’s atmosphere called

Fallout

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 TYPES OF RADIOACTIVE
WASTE
Low level waste
Intermediate level waste

High level waste

Low level waste:

• 90% of all nuclear waste is low level waste

•Nuclear reactors, hospitals use this at daily basis as it is

not dangerous and so shielding is not required

•It contains just 1% of waste from radioactivity

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 TYPES OF RADIOACTIVE
WASTE
Intermediate Level waste:
•It contains high amount of radioactivity than low level but

low amount as compared to high level waste

•It typically required shielding during handling and interim

•It usually contains refurbishment waste, ion exchange

resins, chemicals sludges and metal cladding

•This waste includes 4% of radioactivity

•That intermediate waste that requires long term

management are transferred to an authorized waste

management operator
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 TYPES OF RADIOACTIVE
WASTE
High level Waste:
•This waste has to cool off several years and so it is

considered as very dangerous

•Cooling requires several hundred feet and deep down

ponds
•This waste accounts for 95% of radioactivity

•This type of radioactive waste is harmful for both humans

and environment

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 TYPES OF RADIOACTIVE
POLLUTION
Occasional Pollution
Accidental Pollution

Continuous Pollution

Occasional Pollution

•This condition exists during isolated experiment or test of

nuclear substance

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 TYPES OF RADIOACTIVE
POLLUTION
Accidental Pollution:
•This type exists during accidental exposure to rays by

virtue of equipment failure, rays leak, faulty equipments

Continuous Pollution:
•This condition exists in uranium mines, nuclear reactors,

test labs where humans are under continuous exposure to

radioactive contaminants
•Protective clothing is required to avoid radiation exposure

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CAUSES OF RADIOACTIVE
POLLUTION
Nuclear Waste Handling and Disposal

Breaches at Nuclear Power Plants

Chemical Spills

Coal Ash

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EFFECTS OF RADIOACTIVE
POLLUTION
On Humans
On Plants

On Land and in Water

•Nuclear Fuel Cycle

•Day to Day Operations of Nuclear Plants

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 RADIOACTIVE WASTE
MANAGEMENT
Waste treatment process can be divided into following
categories
•Transfer Technologies

•Concentration Technologies

•Transformation Technologies

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ACTIONS AND
PREVENTIONS
Geological Disposal
Transmutation

Re-use of Radioactive Waste

Space Dispose

Safe Storage

Nuclear Disarmament

Clear Warnings

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 CONCLUSION
As science gets advanced, radiations uses are increased,
although can be helpful like for electricity production but
they also act as pollutant and so are hazardous
These can be harmful for living organisms as they can

cause illness, cancers in humans

In agriculture, they also affect soil

So, it is very important to ensure that radioactive

pollution does not occur.

This can be done by taking the preventative measures

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