Chernobyl

1. Chernobyl Samantha Sanchez Erin Schock Molly Frank

2. Introduction • Background • Accident • Health Threat • Modes of Transportation • Treatment Action • Preventive Measures • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u_8frR0IpE

3. Background • Occurred on April 26, 1986 • Only Accident in history of nuclear power where radiation fatalities occurred • 30 fatalities • The power plant consisted of four nuclear reactors • 1 gigawatt each • Not like western reactors • Commissioning of all reactors

4. The Explosion • It was suppose to be another routine 20 second shut down of the reactor • 1:23 AM • Seven seconds later explosion occurred • 2,000 ton lid was blown off • A second explosion occurred

5. The Explosion • About 25% of the red-hot graphite blocks from the fuel channels was ejected • The explosion dispersed large amounts of radioactive particulate allowing air to contact the super-hot core. • The air ignited the hot graphite • The graphite fire greatly contributed to the spread of the radioactive material • The radionuclide composition consists of Caesiums, Iodine and Strontiums and Barium

6. The spread was astonishing • 30 kilometer area surrounding the reactor.

7. Accident • The faulty shut down systems was known about before the explosion • The accident lay in the deficiencies • No reports were released until the third day after the explosion • This is when Swedish authorities stepped in

8. Exposed • Main initial casualties were among the firefighters • 600,000 liquidators were exposed to very high doses of radiation • Communicating protective measures early would have enabled the population to escape exposure

9. Level Of Threat To Community • Radioactive cloud floated over continental Europe and the United Kingdom. • It was detected all over the world; even here is the United States. • The "effects of the Chernobyl accident were even apparent in the small but statistically significant excess mortality in the U.S. In May 1986.

10. Modes of Transportation • Air • Water • Soil

11. How it enters the body • Ingestion • Inhalation • Absorption • Injection

12. Health Effects • Leukemia, • Brain tumors • Cataracts • Human and animal mutations • Stillborn or deformed babies or infants with genetic problems like Downs Syndrome. • Nervous disorders • Insomnia • Weakened immune system • Many types of Cancer • Mental Health and Psychosocial Effects

13. Thyroid Cancer

14. How Radiation Effects the Body • Krypton 85 affects the entire body and can increase a person's chances of getting cancers like leukemia within two years after exposure. • Cesium 137 can attack the entire body, centering on the liver, spleen and the muscles. • Barium 140, according to the article, gathers in the bones and can cause tumors as late as thirty years after exposure. • Iodine 131 gathers in the thyroid. It can trigger cancer there decades following exposure. Most radioactivity disappears from the body after only two months.

15. Half-life • Krypton 85 has a half life of 10.7 years. • Cesium has a half life of 30.2 years. • Barium 140 has a half life of 12.8 days. • Iodine 131 has a half life of eight days. • Strontium has a half life of 28 years

16. Exposure Levels and Symptoms • 0.05-0.2Sv- no symptoms, increased risk for cancer • .2-.5 Sv- white blood cell count decreases temporarily • .5-1 Sv-Mild radiation sickness with headache and increased risk of infection due to disruption of immunity cells. Temporary male sterility is possible. • 1-2 Sv- 10% Fatality after 30 days, moderate nausea, vomiting, fatigue, depressed immune system, stillbirth in pregnant women

17. Exposure Levels Cont… • 2-3 Sv 35% fatality after 30 days, nausea, vomiting, hair loss, fatigue, general illness, massive loss of white blood cells, increased risk of infection, permanent female sterility is possible • 3-4 Sv- 50% fatality after 30 days, uncontrollable bleeding in mouth, under skin, and in kidneys • 4-6 Sv 60% fatality after 30 days, female sterility is common, internal bleeding • 6-10 Sv- near 100% fatality after 14 days, bone marrow is nearly or completely destroyed, gastric and intestinal tissues are severely damaged • 10-50Sv 100% fatality after 7 days, immediate powerful fatigue and nausea, massive diarrhea, cell death in gastric and intestinal tissue, intestinal bleeding, delirium, coma

18. Diagnosis • Blood Tests • Doctors assess changes to white blood cells

19. Treatment • It is not possible to reverse the effects of radiation on the body • Treatment is offered to help with symptoms • Blood Transfusions • Treatment may also be offered to counter further damage

20. Prevention • Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999 • The Ionising Radiations (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2000 • The Justification of Practices Involving Ionising Radiation Regulations 2004.

21. Questions

22. References http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/chernobyl/inf07.html http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2005/pr38/en/index.html http://www.ibiblio.org/expo/soviet.exhibit/chernobyl.html http://www.un.org/ha/chernobyl/chern.htm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/guides/456900/456957/html/nn1page1.stm http://www.ask.com/bar?q=does+the+chernobyl+nuclear+power+plant+still+exist&page=1&qsrc=19&zoom=&ab=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fglobalcitizens.siiaonline.org%2F%3Fq%3Dblog%2Fnuclear-power-asean http://globalcitizens.siiaonline.org/?q=blog/nuclear-power-asean http://www.richeast.org/htwm/CHERNOBYL/Chernobyl.html http://www.economicexpert.com/a/Radioactive:contamination.html http://www.ehjournal.net/content/7/1/21 http://www.greens-efa.org/cms/topics/dokbin/118/118559.torch_executive_summary@en.pdf.