Environmental Crisis due to Nuclear Power Plants

Abstract

This paper discusses the role of nuclear power plants in the area of the total energy produced by this. It tells us about the hazardousness at every stage of the complete process. It solves the  maze of corporate and governing bodies involved in the process starting from establishing the plant, arranging investments and modifying rules and regulations to ease in doing business.

Further it also explains the worldwide protests and resistance shown by the people against this inhuman act of establishing nuclear power plants in the name of development. The hazardous and destructive impact of previous nuclear power plant's accidents are also discussed in this paper.

Finally this paper argues and establishes a conversation to any human being with a courageous heart and witty mind to feel and think the need for alternative system and resources of unexplored sources of energy.

Introduction

Nuclear power plant works on the principle of nuclear fission. In which elements with very heavy atomic mass and property of radioactivity are used. Presently 92U235 are used as main source of energy (fuel) in the nuclear power plants. Apart from fuel; coolant, moderator, control rods and steam generator are other components.

Nuclear energy is a boon in a controlled manner but it can prove worst when we leave us controlled on it.

Working Principle

The basic working principle of a nuclear power plant is based on obtaining heat energy through the nuclear fission of radioactive atoms. This heat energy is further used to make the steam and which is used to rotate the turbine so as to get electrical energy with the help of a generator. Nuclear reactors made of uranium-235 are used as a fuel for this purpose. Uranium-235 is a highly radioactive element which has a potential of great disaster in any accidental situation.

The Negative Impact of the Nuclear Power Plant at Every Step

There are mainly following four steps in the whole working process of nuclear power plant:

A. Mining of Uranium

B. Fuel Enrichment

C. Power Generation

D. Waste Management

Now, let's discuss all of the above one by one.

A) Mining of Uranium

Uranium is the working fuel for all nuclear power plants, which is the most harmful substance on earth. It is obtained from the earth in the form of ore. Underground uranium mines have a high concentration of Radon gas. It produces as a result of Uranium decay and therefore as harmful as Uranium. It causes lung cancer and many fatal diseases on long exposure to this gas. Researches show that most of the mining workers and local peoples are affected by this gas.

Bad effect of mining can be understood by taking the example of Kazakhstan, the world's biggest uranium mining country. It contributes around 37% of total uranium extraction. Here diseases related to the nervous system, respiratory disease, and cardiovascular diseases are three times greater as of normal rate. Radon gas contaminated most of the water resources in the region of uranium ore.

B) Fuel Enrichment

There are many isotopes of uranium found in ore out of which only 0.7 % contain U235 which is used as fuel in nuclear reactors. This process mainly makes uranium available as fuel or raw material for nuclear weapons. These processes are very complex in nature. It is very costly in terms of the process and up keeping of processed uranium due to more concentration of radioactivity, now. Protection of people involved and waste produced between fuel enrichment process always need great care.

C) Power Generation

In this step enriched fuel is placed for controlled nuclear fission reaction with the help of a moderator, coolant and other parts of the power plant. Here a stream of water if superheated for the very fast movement of the turbine. Which arose the problem of cooling of water used before discharging it to water source otherwise it will end the marine life affected by this warm water.

Nuclear fission raises the overall temperature of the core of power plant, cooling of which is a necessity otherwise nuclear explosion will take place. Next problem with this is any repairing needed a very good nuclear scientist at the current time which is very tedious to arrange as well as expensive in nature. For example, if any problem occurred in Koodankulam power plant, we have to call scientist from countries like Japan, America, and others, which is a very expensive and time taking task. Here delay leads to an unexpected accident in the form of a nuclear explosion.

D. Waste management

An intrinsic feature of the nuclear power plant is that fuel can be only used for 7 or 8 years after that it is not suitable for power generation purpose. But the fuel continues to radiate and last in thousands of years. Hence there is a great problem of protection of the environment from its deadly radiation. And so far all the tools and techniques used are incompatible to reduce its effect. Therefore, it is a major problem not only for the present generation but also for the future generations.

Major past accidents in nuclear power plants

The history of nuclear power plants disaster is as long as its foundation. From 'Chernobyl' to 'Fukushima Daiichi' of Japan. Its history is stained with blood. 

Chernobyl event on 26 April 1986  is considered the worst nuclear disaster in history. The main reason for the accident was the failure of the cooling system which gradually caused overheating of the nuclear reactor core. Which resulted in the uncontrolled nuclear chain reaction and an explosion. Airborne radioactively contaminated spread all over  the region.

An estimate suggests that the deadly effect of this can be seen from its main centre Chernobyl to Italy and France including mainly Belarus and Ukraine with the rest of the republics. Around 220,000 people were relocated just because of this event. The vicinity of losses can be seen by the fact that only liquidators cost 18 billion Soviet Rubbles. Fatalities with newborn babies have seen after many years.

Fukushima Daiichi was another black spot on the nuclear power plant's journey, which was caused by the Tsunami. This Tsunami was a result of the earthquake on 11 march 2011. Three Mile Island and many more...

Nuclear power plants in India

Before Indo-US deal(till 2010)            

Narora, Uttar Pradesh
Rawatbhata, Rajasthan
Kakrapar, Gujarat
Tarapur, Maharashtra
Kaiga, Karnataka
Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu

After Indo-US deal (Projected or Working)

Kumhariya, Haryana
Mithi Virdi, Gujarat
Bargi, Madhya Pradesh
Haripur, West Bengal
Jaitapur, Maharashtra
Kovvada, Andhra Pradesh
Koodankulam, Tamil Nadu

Keeping all the above processes in mind and issues related at each and every step, the most important question arises is Why has India chosen Nuclear power plants as a source of electricity generation?

• A large amount of money in this which facilitate only to very big economic players.
• The problem of waste management of countries with the big nuclear power plant is solved. Those countries dumped their waste in India. They earn a huge amount of money also. 

Some other fact to include 

• Only 7 % of the energy produced by nuclear power plants which are even less than energy produced by windmills.
• They prefer nuclear energy saying it carbon-free, renewable sources of energy like the solar system and other.

We are saying this because we have an ample amount of these energy sources.

-- Presented by Naina

Dreadful Effect of Air Pollution On Children

Abstract

Through this paper, I discussed the worldwide problem of air pollution and its negative impact on the health and behaviour of children. The paper consists of Stanford University’s report which has been recently published in ‘NATURE’ journal. The report reveals the shocking truth about air pollution worldwide in previous years. This paper also covers the reason behind the same. And various researches show that the increasing quantity of PM2.5 in the air is a major factor for air pollution. And finally, the paper reveals some general conclusion related to the topic.

1. Introduction

Air plays a very vital role in the existence of all living beings on earth. But due to human activities, this life-giving air becomes lethal now. Nowadays air pollution is one of the major problems on earth which can’t be ignored. Air pollution refers to the introduction of excessive foreign particles including gasses and microbiological particles into the earth’s atmosphere. Those are harmful to live organisms as well as for land and crops. They cause various respiratory diseases, allergies, behavioral change and even death to humans.

2. Current situation of air pollution

In June 2018, Stanford University publishes his journal on ‘Air Pollution’ in ‘Nature’. Research-based on different surveys taken generally in African countries. The reports tell that only in the year 2015, about 4lakhs children below the age of 5 years are dead in sub-Saharan Africa due to the exposure to particulate matter. The researchers found that from 2011 to 2015 high particulate matter concentration was responsible for 22% of infant deaths. The dirty air has led to the premature deaths of seven lakhs and twelve thousand African's every year.  Various health-related problems are noticed in the research, it shows that air pollution can stunt brain development, trigger asthma and cause heart strokes and even cancer.  This is not the case of Africa only, air pollution is now a global threat. In Europe, the average lifespan of peoples is reducing by 2 years due to the same reason. More or less this is the present situation of all places on earth.

3. Role of PM2.5 to contribute air Pollution

PM2.5 refers to atmospheric particulate matter such as a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets that has a diameter of fewer than 2.5 micrometers. It is so small that can only be detected with an electron microscope. It travels up to very long distances as it is smaller and lighter.

Due to its very small size, it cannot be stopped in the nasal cavity it gets deep into the lungs and even enters into the bloodstream.   Due to which it thickens the arteries which are the main cause of heart failure and strokes. Children are the most affected by these particles. The area where the quantity of PM2.5 is high has a large number of children are suffering from asthma, decreased lung function, coughing or difficulty in breathing. The behavioral changes in the children are also detected in the research, in India nearly 2.5 crores children are suffering from such diseases in which Autism is very common. Remember that Autism is a very serious developmental disorder that affects the emotional, social and physical health of the affected individual. The “Harvard six cities study”, published in 1996, revealed that PM2.5 was one of the causative factors of human non-accidental death.

PM2.5 form in the atmosphere as a result of complex reactions of chemicals such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, which are pollutants, mainly emitted from nuclear power plants, heavy industries, and automobiles companies. Apart from PM2.5 nitrogen oxide is the most poisonous and a cause of various lethal diseases in the world. This gas is emitted into the environment as a result of diesel combustion in automobiles. This gas is very harmful to a pregnant woman and even it affects her unborn child. It also reduces the mental development of a newborn.

It is clear that the major cause of air pollution is due to a huge gap between the exploitation of natural resources and repayment of those resources' value.

--Aakansha Panwar, Student