1. Nuclear Energy and the Environment
Chapter 19
Nuclear Energy and the Environment
Botkin and Keller
Environmental Science 5e

2. Environmental Science 5e
Nuclear Energy
Nuclear Energy
The energy of the atomic nucleus
Nuclear Fission
The splitting of the atomic nuclei
Nuclear Fusion
The fusing of atomic nuclei
Nuclear Reactors
Devises that produce controlled nuclear fission
Botkin and Keller
Environmental Science 5e

3. Environmental Science 5e
Fission Reactors
As fission occurs, energy is released.
Major components of a fission reactor:
Core, control rods, coolant, reactor vessel
Burner Reactors: a type of nuclear reactor that consumes more fissionable material than it produces
Meltdown: a nuclear accident in which the nuclear fuel forms a molten mass that breaches the containment of the reactor, contaminating the outside environment with radioactivity.
Botkin and Keller
Environmental Science 5e

4. Environmental Science 5e
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Environmental Science 5e

5. Environmental Science 5e
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Environmental Science 5e

6. Sustainability and Nuclear Power
Nuclear Radiation occurs when when a radioisotope spontaneously undergoes radioactive decay and changes into another isotope
3 types of nuclear radiation: Alpha, Beta, Gamma
Breeder Reactor:
a type of nuclear reactor that utilizes between 40-70% of its nuclear fuel and converts fertile nuclei to fissile nuclei faster than the rate of fission
Produces nuclear fuels
Botkin and Keller
Environmental Science 5e

7. Environmental Science 5e
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Environmental Science 5e

8. Environmental Science 5e
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Environmental Science 5e

9. Environmental Science 5e
Botkin and Keller
Environmental Science 5e

10. Nuclear Energy and the Environment
Nuclear Fuel Cycle:
the process involved in producing nuclear power from the mining and processing of uranium to controlled fission, the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel, the decommissioning of power plants and the disposal of radioactive waste
Each part of the cycle is associated with different potential environmental problems
Botkin and Keller
Environmental Science 5e

11. Environmental Science 5e
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Environmental Science 5e

12. Effects of Radioisotopes
Radioisotope: an isotope of a chemical element that spontaneously undergoes radioactive decay
Effect Environment in 2 Ways
Emitting radiation
Entering ecological food chains
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Environmental Science 5e

13. Environmental Science 5e
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Environmental Science 5e

14. Environmental Science 5e
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Environmental Science 5e

15. Environmental Science 5e
Radiation Dose
Curie (Ci) unit of radioactivity
(equal to 37 billion nuclear transformations per second)
Becquerel (Bq) radioactive decay
(1 decay per second)
rads (rd) dose of radiation delivered by radioactivity
grays (Gy) same, but in SI units
Rems (rems) equivalent dose, normalized by radiation and tissue type
sieverts (Sv) same, but in SI units
Botkin and Keller
Environmental Science 5e

16. Environmental Science 5e
Radiation and Health
LD-50 is about 5000 mSv (5 Sv)
1000 – 2000 mSv: vomiting, fatigue, abortion of fetuses less than 2 months, temporary sterility
50 mSv: maximum dose per year in industry
(30 times average natural background)
1-5 mSv: maximum dose per year for public
Botkin and Keller
Environmental Science 5e

17. Nuclear Power Plant Accidents
Three Mile Island (Harrisburg, PA)
Valve malfunction and human error
Partial core meltdown,
Chernobyl
Radiation in Sweden detected in power plant 4/28/86
Cooling system failed (human error)
Top of building over reactor exploded.
30 km zone dose received 0.43 Sv
Expected cases of leukemia, large numbers of thyroid cancer seen
Botkin and Keller
Environmental Science 5e

18. Radioactive Waste Management
Low-Level Radioactive Waste
Waste materials that contain sufficiently low concentrations or quantities of radioactivity so as not to present a significant environment hazard if properly handled
Transuranic Waste
Radioactive waste consisting of human-made radioactive elements heavier than uranium
Contaminated clothing rags, tools, etc.
High-Level Radioactive Waste
Extremely toxic nuclear waste, such as spent fuel elements from commercial reactors.
How do we dispose of this waste material?
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Environmental Science 5e

19. Environmental Science 5e
Botkin and Keller
Environmental Science 5e