Disaster policy and nuclear liability: Insights from post-Chernobyl agriculture in the United Kingdom

The recent events at Chernobyl have again brought the issues of nuclear safety to the forefront of the nuclear power debate. Fortunately, our experience with such incidents has been very limited, but it is important to learn as much as possible from such events so as to minimize the cost and effect of any other nuclear incidents, be they small or large. Much of the discussion about the possible effects of nuclear incidents has centered around the human cost in terms of health. While this is undoubtedly of paramount concern, the effect of the release of radiation from Chernobyl on the agricultural resource base in Europe can provide valuable insights on how to reduce the costs associated with the contamination of agricultural areas. This article outlines some of the lessons that can be learned using the livestock-raising industry in northern Wales as an example.     

The similar effects of low-dose ionizing radiation and non-ionizing radiation from background environmental levels of exposure

The meltdown and release of radioactivity (ionizing radiation) from four damaged nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Nuclear Facility in Japan in March 2011 continues to contaminate air and ocean water even 1 year later. Chronic exposure to low-dose ionizing radiation will occur over large populations well into the future. This has caused grave concern among researchers and the public over the very long period of time expected for decommissioning alone (current estimate from official sources is 30–40 years based on TEPCO in Mid-and long-term roadmap towards the decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power units 1–4, 2011) and the presumed adverse effects of chronic, low-dose ionizing radiation on children, adults and the environment. Ultimately, radioactive materials from Fukushima will circulate for many years, making health impacts a predictable concern for many generations (Yasunari et al. in PNAS 108(49):19530–19534, 2011). There is long-standing scientific evidence to suggest that low-dose ionizing radiation (LD-IR) and low-intensity non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation (LI-NIER) in the form of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields and radiofrequency radiation (RFR) share similar biological effects. Public health implications are significant for reconstruction efforts to rebuild in post-Fukushima Japan. It is relevant to identify and reduce exposure pathways for chronic, low-dose ionizing radiation in post-Fukushima Japan given current scientific knowledge. Intentional planning, rather than conventional planning, is needed to reduce concomitant chronic low-intensity exposure to non-ionizing radiation. These are reasonably well-established risks to health in the scientific literature, as evidenced by their classification by World Health Organization International Agency for Research on Cancer as Possible Human Carcinogens. Reducing preventable, adverse health exposures in the newly rebuilt environment to both LD-IR and LI-NIER is an achievable goal for Japan. Recovery and reconstruction efforts in Japan to restore the communications and energy infrastructure, in particular, should pursue strategies for reduction and/or prevention of both kinds of exposures. The design life of buildings replaced today is probably 35–50 years into the future. Cumulative health risks may be somewhat mitigated if the double exposure (to both chronic low-dose IR from the Fukushima reactors and LI-NIER [EMF and RFR] in new buildings and infrastructure) can be dealt with effectively in early planning and design in Japan’s reconstruction.     

核与辐射安全监管大数据平台建设策略研究

核能与核技术利用事业的快速发展为我国经济社会发展提供了强大的助推力,但也使得我国面临的核与辐射安全风险日益加大,对核与辐射安全监管的需求与日俱增。当前,我国核与辐射安全监管工作挑战与机遇并存。介绍了我国核与辐射安全监管工作开展现状,分析了其中存在的困难与问题,提出亟需利用信息化及大数据技术,推动我国核与辐射安全监管现代化进程。基于我国核与辐射安全监管数据现状,提出了促进我国核与辐射安全监管数据管理水平提升的几点措施,包括完善数据管理体制,提升数据管理技术,转变数据管理思维,树立数据共享意识等。此外,详细阐述了核与辐射安全监管大数据建设策略,包括总体架构、建设目标、主要任务等。     

Health and safety implications of alternative energy technologies. II. Solar

No energy technology is risk free when all aspects of its utilization are taken into account. Every energy technology has some attendant direct and indirect health and safety concerns. Solar technologies examined in this paper are wind, ocean thermal energy gradients, passive, photovoltaic, satellite power systems, low- and high-temperature collectors, and central power stations, as well as tidal power. For many of these technologies, insufficient historical data are available from which to assess the health risks and environmental impacts. However, their similarities to other projects make certain predictions possible. For example, anticipated problems in worker safety in constructing ocean thermal energy conversion systems will be similar to those associated with other large-scale construction projects, like deep-sea oil drilling platforms. Occupational hazards associated with photovoltaic plant operation would be those associated with normal electricity generation, although for workers involved in the actual production of photovoltaic materials, there is some concern for the toxic effects of the materials used, including silicon, cadmium, and gallium arsenide.Satellite power systems have several unique risks. These include the effects of long-term space travel for construction workers, effects on the ozone layer and the attendant risk of skin cancer in the general public, and the as-yet-undetermined effects of long-term, low-level microwave exposure. Hazards may arise from three sources in solar heating and cooling systems: water contamination from corrosion inhibitors, heat transfer fluids, and bactericides; collector over-heating, fires, and out-gassing and handling and disposal of system fluids and wastes. Similar concerns exist for solar thermal power systems. Even passive solar systems may increase indoor exposure levels to various air pollutants and toxic substances, eitherdirectly from the solar system itself or indirectly by trapping released pollutants from furnishings, building materials, and indoor combustion.Operated by Union Carbide Corporation under contract W-7405-eng-26 for the U.S. Department of Energy.     

核技术利用辐射安全监管法律法规解读

随着核技术日益广泛的利用,我国放射性同位素和射线装置技术的应用发展迅速,它在给人类带来巨大利益的同时也带来了辐射危害,安全隐患突出,安全监管任务重。本文就与核技术利用辐射安全监管有关的问题进行法律法规解读,以提高辐射安全监管依法行政能力。     

Cell hydration as a universal marker for detection of environmental pollution

At present, when the technological progress brings progressive increase in environmental pollutions by different chemical and physical (ionizing and non-ionizing radiations) factors, the detection of the safety of environmental medium from the point of public health is one of the fundamental problems of modern Life Sciences. This problem has especially disquieting character after the Chernobyl and Japan nuclear catastrophes, when the level of background ionizing radiation and chemical pollutions of environmental medium of the number of world’s regions are increased beyond safety doses. As the biological effect of weak environmental factors have nonlinear dose-dependent character, besides its thermodynamic characteristics it depends also on environmental composition and initial state of organism. Therefore, the current policy of World Health Organization and other international organizations whose mission is to establish safety standards for environmental pollutions by chemical and physical factors, based only on the their concentration or energy absorption rate by organism cannot be considered as adequate. It is suggested that the biological marker having universal sensitivity to different factors and determining the functional state of organisms could be used for estimation of the safety doses of environmental factors on organism. In present review are presented the data consisting of the hypothesis according to which the Na/K pump and Na/Ca-controlling cell hydration could serve as a universal and extra-sensitive cellular marker for detection of hazardous effect of environmental pollutions.     

核电环境风险研究进展及管理启示

为满足快速增长的电力需求,缓解传统化石能源紧缺及其所伴随的大气污染问题,发电过程中几乎不产生常规大气污染物的核电逐渐成为我国重要的能源战略选择。但是,由于核电站在运行过程中,特别是发生重大核事故时,产生的放射性物质可能对健康造成负面影响,发展核电仍然存在较大的争议和阻力。在此背景下,需要构建科学、完善的核电风险评估与管理体系,以保障我国的核电行业健康、有序发展。在对国内外核电风险评估研究现状进行系统梳理的基础上,分析其对核电风险管理的意义,提出了我国未来构建核电风险评估与管理体系的建议。     

新疆大学校园辐射环境水平初步调查

为了了解新疆大学本部校园内辐射环境水平状况,对校园环境γ辐射剂量率、氡浓度水平、土壤中核素含量及红湖水样等采用国家规定的技术规范和方法进行现场测量、采样与实验室分析工作。结果表明,新疆大学本部校园内辐射环境水平处于乌鲁木齐市本底值范围之内,未见放射性异常。     

Health effects from the nuclear fuel cycle and other sources in perspective

The data base for each process of the nuclear fuel cycle has been updated as a part of the Committee on Nuclear and Alternative Energy Systems (CONAES) at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). The BNL Energy System Network Simulator (ESNS) was modified to accommodate the new data, and methodology was developed for estimating population dose and health effects resulting from atmosphere releases of radioactive materials from the nuclear fuel cycle.Estimates of population dose and health effects were made using these new CONAES emission data and the new model for three scenarios out to the year 2000: (1) no reprocessing; (2) reprocessing, 1-year cooling; and (3) reprocessing, 5-year cooling. Results indicate that radon emissions from mining and milling of uranium bearing ores will have greater impacts than any other component in the open nuclear fuel cycle. The estimated number of health effects will depend, to a large extent, on the lung model mechanism assumed to induce cancer; i.e., either the smeared or the unsmeared model. The smear model and the linear relationship predict for scenario 1, 630; for scenario 2, 949; and for scenario 3, 854 lung cancers, respectively, using the new CONAES data.Epidemiologic data from six United States counties were correlated using a new statistical model (described in the text) in order to test the validity of the lung model and the linear relationship. Results do not support the high lung cancer correlations expected from the unsmear model and the linear relationship; therefore, it is concluded that low-dose mechanisms may be different from those developed from high-dose data. The best place to look for effects of low-dose radiation may be the less developed countries because of a reduction in the noise level caused by chemical pollutants.     

手机基站电磁辐射问题释疑

本文就社会普遍关心的手机基站电磁辐射对人体健康的影响问题,从基站电磁辐射属性,强度,对人体健康的影响等,作了较为详细的论述。     

Multicriteria Relocation Analysis of an Off-site Radioactive Monitoring Network for a Nuclear Power Plant

Due to increasing environmental consciousness in most countries, every utility that owns a commercial nuclear power plant has been required to have both an on-site and off-site emergency response plan since the 1980s. A radiation monitoring network, viewed as part of the emergency response plan, can provide information regarding the radiation dosage emitted from a nuclear power plant in a regular operational period and/or abnormal measurements in an emergency event. Such monitoring information might help field operators and decision-makers to provide accurate responses or make decisions to protect the public health and safety. This study aims to conduct an integrated simulation and optimization analysis looking for the relocation strategy of a long-term regular off-site monitoring network at a nuclear power plant. The planning goal is to downsize the current monitoring network but maintain its monitoring capacity as much as possible. The monitoring sensors considered in this study include the thermoluminescence dosimetry (TLD) and air sampling system (AP) simultaneously. It is designed for detecting the radionuclide accumulative concentration, the frequency of violation, and the possible population affected by a long-term impact in the surrounding area regularly while it can also be used in an accidental release event. With the aid of the calibrated Industrial Source Complex–Plume Rise Model Enhancements (ISC-PRIME) simulation model to track down the possible radionuclide diffusion, dispersion, transport, and transformation process in the atmospheric environment, a multiobjective evaluation process can be applied to achieve the screening of monitoring stations for the nuclear power plant located at Hengchun Peninsula, South Taiwan. To account for multiple objectives, this study calculated preference weights to linearly combine objective functions leading to decision-making with exposure assessment in an optimization context. Final suggestions should be useful for narrowing the set of scenarios that decision-makers need to consider in this relocation process.     

Does radioactive contamination affect the shell morphology of the pond snail <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lymnaea stagnalis</Emphasis> in the exclusion zone of the Chernobyl NPP (Ukraine)?

A distinct external shell abnormality, coarse seam, was found in a high percentage of the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis (L.) collected near Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), Ukraine. The negative cytogenetical and hematological effects of long-term irradiation on pond snails in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone have been repeatedly reported; consequently, it has been assumed that radioactivity may also affect shell morphology. However, due to the absence of this shell abnormality in pond snails collected from two radioactive sites in Russia, it can be concluded that the appearance of abnormal shells in snail population near Chernobyl NPP cannot directly be explained by the radioactive contamination.     

居室放射性

本文介绍了放射性的来源,讨论了室内γ射线和氡及其子体,计算了相关的年剂量当量     

Five-wheel framework for system-based monitoring of heavy metal pollution in rivers

Sectorial approach for monitoring heavy metal pollution in rivers has failed to report realistic pollution status and associated ecological and human health risks. The increasing spread of heavy metals from different sources and emerging risks to human and environmental health call for reexamining heavy metal pollution monitoring frameworks. Also, the sources, spread, and load of heavy metals in the environment have changed significantly over time, requiring consequent modification in the monitoring frameworks. Therefore, studies on heavy metal monitoring in rivers conducted in the last decade were evaluated for experimental designs, research frameworks, and data presentations. Most studies (∼99%) (i) lacked inclusiveness of all environmental compartments; (ii) focused on “one pollutant – one/two compartment” or sometimes “one pollutant – one compartment – one effect” approach; and (iii) remained “data-rich but information poor.” An ecological approach with integrative system thinking is proposed to develop a holistic approach for monitoring river pollution. It is visualized that heavy metal monitoring, risk analyses, and water management must incorporate tracking pollutants in different environmental compartments of a river (water, sediment, and floodplain/bank soil) and consider correlating it with riverbank land use. The systems-based pollution monitoring and assessment studies will reveal the critical factors that drive heavy metals pollutant movement in ecosystems and associated potential risks to the environment, wildlife, and humans. Also, water quality and pollution indexing tools would help better communicate complex pollution data and associated risks among all stakeholders. Therefore, integrating systems approaches in scientific- and policy-based tools would help sustainably manage the health of rivers, wildlife, and humans.     

基层环保部门辐射环境管理的问题及对策

辐射环境安全监督管理是国家安全的重要内容，基层环保部门是辐射环境安全监管的基本力量。本文简述了环保部门环境辐射监管中存在的问题，提出了提高市、县级基层环保部门辐射环境安全能力建设的对策。     

大型自然通风冷却塔环境影响的预测分析研究

大多数内陆核电厂将采用大型自然通风冷却塔作为其二次循环冷却方式,本文基于美国核管会推荐的SACTI程序,给出了该模型的基本原理和框架结构,并以江西彭泽核电厂为例,采用该程序预测分析了该核电厂大型自然通风冷却塔所造成的雾羽和太阳辐射损失的影响。并进一步研究了不同环境风速、相对湿度条件下对冷却塔造成的太阳辐射损失的影响。SACTI模型可以根据厂址逐时气象观测数据,较好地计算可见雾羽的长度、抬升高度和太阳辐射损失,其结果可以作为冷却塔环境影响评价的依据。     

Public attitudes to nuclear energy: Salience and anxiety

During the last decade there has been a significant increase in public concern about nuclear energy. This paper presents a brief overview of trends and developments in public opinion since the late 1970s. One possible reason for this increased concern is the public's perception of risks. Research has shown a considerable divergence in public and expert assessment of the risks associated with nuclear energy. It will be argued that qualitative aspects of these risks play a crucial role in the public's perception of nuclear energy, and that reactions such as fear and anxiety are the major determinants of attitudes to the building of new nuclear power stations in one's neighbourhood. It is also clear, however, that differences in the perception of these risks do not embrace all the relevant aspects of public acceptance of nuclear energy. Public reaction is also related to more general values and beliefs, and the issue of nuclear energy is firmly embedded in a much wider moral and political domain.     

A novel process integration,optimization and design approach for large-scale implementation of oxy-fired coal power plants with CO2 capture

The widespread use of fossil fuels within the current energy infrastructure is considered as the largest source of anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide, which is largely blamed for global warming and climate change. At the current state of development, the risks and costs of non-fossil energy alternatives, such as nuclear, biomass, solar, and wind energy, are so high that they cannot replace the entire share of fossil fuels in the near future timeframe. Additionally, any rapid change towards non-fossil energy sources, even if possible, would result in large disruptions to the existing energy supply infrastructure. As an alternative, the existing and new fossil fuel-based plants can be modified or designed to be either “capture” or “capture-ready” plants in order to reduce their emission intensity through the capture and permanent storage of carbon dioxide in geological formations. This would give the coal-fired power generation units the option to sustain their operations for longer time, while meeting the stringent environmental regulations on air pollutants and carbon emissions in years to come.Currently, there are three main approaches to capturing CO₂ from the combustion of fossil fuels, namely, pre-combustion capture, post-combustion capture, and oxy-fuel combustion. Among these technology options, oxy-fuel combustion provides an elegant approach to CO₂ capture. In this approach, by replacing air with oxygen in the combustion process, a CO₂-rich flue gas stream is produced that can be readily compressed for pipeline transport and storage. In this paper, we propose a new approach that allows air to be partially used in the oxy-fired coal power plants. In this novel approach, the air can be used to carry the coal from the mills to the boiler (similar to the conventional air-fired coal power plants), while O₂ is added to the secondary recycle flow as well as directly to the combustion zone (if needed). From a practical point of view, this approach eliminates problems with the primary recycle and also lessens concerns about the air leakage into the system. At the same time, it allows the boiler and its back-end piping to operate under slight suction; this avoids the potential danger to the plant operators and equipment due to possible exposure to hot combustion gases, CO₂ and particulates. As well, by integrating oxy-fuel system components and optimizing the overall process over a wide range of operating conditions, an optimum or near-optimum design can be achieved that is both cost-effective and practical for large-scale implementation of oxy-fired coal power plants.     

Public and occupational risks of the Nevada (USA) Test Site

The Nevada Test Site (NTS), north of Las Vegas, was the scene of hundreds of nuclear weapons tests over four decades, both above- and belowground. There is considerable interest, both in neighboring communities and elsewhere, in the risks it poses. Overall, the greatest risks are nonradioactive in origin, with occupational risks to employees and accident risks in transporting low-level nuclear wastes to the NTS from other Department of Energy (DOE) sites ranking highest. For radiation risks, that to workers handling radioactive materials is much higher than that to the surrounding population, either present or future. Overall, annual risks are small, with all fatalities approximately 0.008% of total Nevada deaths. At the NTS, the government spends about 5000 times more on radiation as opposed to nonradiation deaths. This suggests that at least some resources may be misallocated towards cleanup of public risks and that the occupational risk of cleanup may be much higher than the public risk. Thus risk may be multiplied by well-meaning programs.     

某省医用电子直线加速器治疗室辐射环境监测分析

通过对省内医用电子直线加速器辐射环境监测,对比不同等级医院医用电子直线加速器辐射防护水平的差异,为放射治疗工作正常开展提供放射防护数据参考,确保放射工作人员、受检者及公众健康安全.按照标准方法采用辐射剂量仪AT1123及中子周围剂量当量仪BH3105E对加速器治疗室周围环境进行光子及中子的监测,采用热释光法对放疗科放射...