•Radioactive pollution:Radioactive pollution:

It is 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:

It can also be defined as the emission of high energy particles or radioactive substance into air, water or land due to human activities in the form of Radioactive Waste

Radioactive ElementRadioactive Element

•An element subject to spontaneous/sudden  degeneration of its nucleus accompanied by the emission of alpha particles, beta particles, or gamma rays. •All elements with atomic numbers greater than  83 are radioactive. •Naturally occurring radioactive elements include radium, thorium,  and uranium.

Radioactive waste • Radioactive waste is waste that Radioactive waste is waste that

contains radioactive material. contains radioactive material. Radioactive waste is usually a by-Radioactive waste is usually a by-product of nuclear power generation product of nuclear power generation and other applications of nuclear and other applications of nuclear fission or nuclear technology, such fission or nuclear technology, such as research and medicineas research and medicine. Radioactive waste is spread through the earth’s atmosphere is called “Fallout”.

Types Of Radioactive WasteTypes Of Radioactive WasteLow Level WasteIntermediate level wasteHigh Level Waste

Unit Of Radioactive PollutionThe International System of Units (SI) unit of radioactive activity is the Becquerel (Bq), named in honor of the scientist Henri Becquerel. One Bq is defined as one transformation (or decay or disintegration) per second.

Natural Sources of Radiation• Cosmic Radiation

• Terrestrial Radiation • Internal Radiation

Man-Made Sources of Radiation • Production nuclear weapons

• Mining of radioactive ore• Medical waste• Nuclear power plants 

• Radioactive materials used in this production have high health risks and release a small amount of radioactive pollution.

• Mining these involves crushing and processing of the radioactive ores and this generates radioactive waste which emits alpha particles

• 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 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, and recently in fukushima of japan.

• Continuous Pollution: This type of condition exists in uranium mines, nuclear reactors, test labs etc. where the humans are under continuous exposure to radioactive contaminants and protective clothing is required to avoid radiation exposure.

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

• Occasional Pollution: This condition exists during isolated experiment or test of nuclear substance.

On Human Beings•The impact of radioactive pollution on human beings can vary from mild to fatal; the magnitude of the adverse effects largely depends on the level and duration of exposure to radioactivity. Low levels of localized exposure may only have a superficial effect and cause mild skin irritation. •Long-term exposure or exposure to high amounts of radiation can have far more serious health effects. Radioactive rays can cause irreparable damage to DNA molecules and can lead to a life-threatening condition.

•The rapidly growing/dividing cells, like those of the skin, bone marrow, are more sensitive towards radioactive emissions.•On the other hand, cells that do not undergo rapid cell division, such as bone cells and nervous cells, aren't damaged so easily.•Rays from radioactive element can cause:

-burns-cancers (skin cancer, lung cancer, thyroid

cancer )-death-hair loss-heart failure-can damage brain cells

Safety measures should be enforced strictlyLeakages from nuclear reactors, careless handling, transport and use of radioactive fuels, fission products and radioactive isotopes have to be totally stopped;Regular monitoring and quantitative analysis through frequent sampling in the risk areas;Waste disposal must be careful, efficient and effective.Appropriate steps should be taken against occupational exposure.Safety measures should be strengthened against nuclear accidentsPreventive measures should be followed so that background radiation levels do not exceed the permissible limits

• In nuclear reactors, closed cycle coolant system with gaseous coolants of very high purity may be used to prevent extraneous activation products.

• Fission reactions should be minimised.

• In nuclear mines, wet drilling may be employed along with underground drainage.

• Nuclear medicines and radiation therapy should be applied when absolutely necessary and earth minimum doses

Thermal Thermal

PollutionPollution

o Thermal Pollution is the harmful increase in water temperature in streams, rivers, lakes, or ocean waters.

o It is the degradation of water quality by any process that changes ambient water temperature.

o A temperature increase as small as 1 or 2 Celsius degrees (about 2 to 4 Fahrenheit degrees) can kill native fish, shellfish, and plants, or drive them out in favor of other species, often with undesirable effects.

The major sources of thermal pollution are discharge of heated water or hot waste material into water bodies from:

Nuclear power plant Industrial effluents Domestic sewage Hydro-electric power Coal fired power plants Thermal shock

Other causes are:

Deforestation Soil erosion

• Coal is utilized as a fuel.

• Condenser coils are cooled with water from nearby lake or river.

• The heated effluents decrease the DO of water.

• Damages the marine organisms.

Discharged water from steam-electric power industry using turbo generators will have a higher temperature ranging from 6 to 9˚C than the receiving water.

In modern stations, producing 100 MW, nearly one million gallons are discharged in an hour with increase in temperature of the cooling water passing by 8 to 10 ˚C .

Sewage is commonly discharged into lakes, canals or streams.

Municipal sewage normally has a higher temperature than the receiving water.

Increase in temperature of the receiving water decreases the dissolved oxygen of water.

The foul smelling gases increased in water resulting in death of marine organisms.

Generation of hydro electric power results in negative thermal loading in water systems.

Creates less heat on water sources less than nuclear power plant.

When a power plant first opens or shuts down for repair or other causes, fish and other organisms adapted to particular temperature range can be killed by the abrupt change in water temperature known as "thermal shock."

Streams and small lakes are naturally kept cool by trees and other tall plants that block sunlight. People often remove this shading vegetation in order to harvest the wood in the trees, to make room for crops, or to construct buildings, roads, and other structures.

DeforestationDeforestation

Removal of vegetation far away from a stream or lake can contribute to thermal pollution by speeding up the erosion of soil into the water, making it muddy, which increases the light absorbed .

Reduction in dissolved oxygen: Concentration of Dissolved Oxygen (DO) decreases with increase in temperature.

Increase in toxicity: The rising temperature increases the toxicity of the poison present in water. A 10C increase in temperature of water doubles the toxicity effect of potassium cyanide, while 80C rise in temperature triples the toxic effects of o-xylene causing massive mortality to fish.

EffectsEffects

Interference in biological activity: Temperature is considered to be of vital significance to physiology, metabolism and biochemical processes that control respiratory rates, digestion, excretion, and overall development of aquatic organisms. Temperature changes cause total disruption to the entire ecosystem.

Interference in reproduction: In fishes, several activities like nest building, spawning, hatching, migration and reproduction depend on optimum temperature.

Direct mortalityDirect mortality: Thermal pollution is directly responsible for mortality of aquatic organisms. Increase in temperature of water leads to exhaustion of microorganisms thereby shortening the life span of fish. Above a certain temperature, fish die due to failure of respiratory system and nervous system failure.

Food storage for fish: Food storage for fish: Abrupt changes in temperature alters the seasonal variation in the type and abundance of lower organisms leading to shortage of right food for fish at the right time.

Diagrammatic Diagrammatic representation of representation of