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How dangerous is the threat of Water contamination from Nuclear waste?
Wiki User
∙ 15y ago
If you put nuclear waste in a situation where groundwater can flow over it on the way to a water course, you will obviously get contamination. Nuclear waste stores have to be very carefully considered to find locations that are safe from water access.
Wiki User
∙ 15y ago
Wiki User
∙ 8y agoWe're talking thousands of years here.
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Can our nuclear waste go in to your water?
no, its not safe to dispose nuclear waste in water,rather it would be safe to dispose it in common salt trenches.
Are water boatmen dangerous?
Water boatmen believe is the family Corixidae. These insects are flat, boat-shaped and long. These insects are not dangerous.
How is nuclear waste created?
High level nuclear waste is created in two main ways: - Nuclear energy reactors during normal operations generate radioactivity which affects metals and water in the plant; also used-up fuel is left over after being used for reaction. - Nuclear weapons programs use nuclear reactors to create plutonium with a lot of radioactive byproducts. The leftover materials and just about everything that comes near the weapons material becomes nuclear waste. Low level nuclear waste is created in many ways, some of them not so obvious. - Hospitals use radiation in cancer treatment, nuclear imaging, etc. - Homes use radioactive materials in smoke detectors. - Naturally occurring radiation can effectively be concentrated in air and water filters, such as radon filters for well water. - Naturally occurring radiation can be concentrated in coal ash by coal-fired power plants, often along with dangerous pollutants like mercury. There are many other sources of low level nuclear waste and many tons of it must be safely disposed.
Does nuclear waste dissolve?
Nuclear waste is a mixture of various substances but held within the fuel rods which are encased in zircaloy, and these are not soluble in water. In fact the spent fuel is stored under water to both keep it cool and prevent radiation to power plant staff. This is safe for the short to medium term, but for long term storage something more permanent is required. Over thousands of years the fuel cladding could deteriorate and allow radioactive substances to leak out, and there could be some contamination if water was to flow through the storage area. So the long term store needs to be underground but in a geological formation which is known not to have had water present in the past.
Why is nuclear waste considered so dangereous?
The most harmful of which are gamma rays. When the human body is exposed to radiation, it can cause tumors and can do extreme damage to the reproductive organs. For this reason, problems associated with radioactivity can be passed on to the victim's children as well. That is why radioactive waste produced by nuclear power plants is so dangerous.
How does the water become contaminated 50 miles from the damaged nuclear reactors in Japan?
mostly ocean currents carry the contamination
Why is the water that is used to cool the reactor vessel of a nuclear power plant is kept separate from the water that is heated to produce steam for the turbine generators?
To reduce radioactive contamination.
The most threat of human health from water supplies?
Nuclear waste, but depends on what you mean...
Is evaporation dangerous to us?
no, its simply water vapor, but with pollution acid rain could be some kind of a threat.
What is resource contamination?
contamination of water resources by excessive inputs of nutrients is called resource contamination
What would be the effect of a nuclear bomb?
1.Destruction of buildings and infrastructures. 2.Health problems due to to-much exposure to radiation. 3.Contamination of water and air.
What are environmental consequences of nuclear energy?
The primary environmental consequence of nuclear energy is unwanted radioactive contamination. This can be in aerial release of steam, or water pollution in the cooling cycle and in affected groundwater. The spent nuclear materials from reactors (nuclear waste) must be stored away for thousands of years before they pose no threat to biological organisms. They have the capacity to pollute large areas unless properly handled. A secondary and limited consequence may be thermal pollution from the waste heat released into the environment. However, this is only a factor at a minority of reactor sites.
Is Plutonium water contamination or not?
The water contamination with plutonium is of course possible but fortunately very, very rare and not significative.
What is the contamination of water resources by excessive input of nutrients called?
resource contamination
Contamination of water resources by excessive inputs of nutrients is called?
Resource contamination
What is a water pollutant?
Water pollution is the contamination of bodies of water.
What a water pollution?
Water pollution is the contamination of bodies of water.
