THE PRIEST

A unique feature of nuclear power plants is the generation of extremely low quantity of radioactive waste. The spent fuel containing most of the high level radioactivity is not considered waste as it produces valuable fuel for future reactors. Spent fuel is sent for reprocessing for the extraction of plutonium, uranium and other useful isotopes. High-level waste is immobilised by verifications in glass matrix, encapsulated in stainless steel double – walled canisters and kept for interim storage for about 30 years under surveillance in concrete vault lined with stainless steel for decay of radioactivity. Ultimately waste is disposed off in deep underground geological repository with protective barriers. During the process of electricity, smack quantity of low-and intermediate-level solid wastes are produced in nuclear power stations. After treatment, these wastes are disposed off within the plant premises in earthen trenches, reinforced cement concrete trenches or tile-holes, depen...

Various radioactive substances that can be emitted because of a nuclear meltdown , their properties and side effects Radioactive ntirogen(N 16) ·   Nitrogen 16 is formed when fast nuetrons from reactor core hit oxygen molecules in coolant water ·   Hence even under normal circumstances radioactive nitrogen in small quantities is released ·   However it has a short half life of  7 secs Tritium ·   Radioactive form of H ·   Known as  heavy hydrogen ·   Half life: 12 years ·   Weak form of radiation, cant penetrate skin Iodine ·   Iodine 131 isgenerated in active core of nuclear reactor ·   Acctive core  is where splitting of atoms takes place which results in producing Lots of energy   and Highly radioactive radiations ·   When there is a meltdown it is emitted out else under normal circumstances it remains within reactor ·   It can accumulate in thyroid glands which are endoc...

On November 24, 1961, as a consequence of the first French nuclear test in the dessert of Western Sahara, in the territory of today’s Algeria, the General Assembly appealed the United Nations Member States to stop these tests carried out in the densely populated territories of North Africa. Three years after, the African Heads of State and Government gathered at the Summit Conference of the African Unity (OAU) solemnly declared by means of an international treaty that they were ready to achieve a treaty prohibiting the production and the absolute control over nuclear weapons in their region.  This proposal had not made any progress till the Cold War was over.It was since 1991 that South Africa, the African continent’s only country that had developed technological capacity for making nuclear weapons, became an integrant of the NPT, when real prospects for establishing a nuclear weapon free zone in Africa opened. The African Treaty bears the name of Pelindaba in honor of the ...