Radioisotopes Utilization in Technology

166 Most of the radioactive waste has a short life, so hopefully not too long become radioactive materials. For radioactive waste that has a long life up to tens of thousands years old, there are certain ways wo save it. The waste is stored underground at a specific depth. The method of storage in the soil is still relevant to use and still be safe until now. The radiation emitted by a radioactive substance can harm the surrounding environment. Someone who got radiation rays in a long time is potentially getting some disease in yhe body, such as cancer, neurogical disorder. This is because radioactive radiation can change bodys cells. If the waste can managed well, and the dose of radioactive substance releases are still in the allowed limit, it will not be a problem. Image 15. Radioactive Waste Disposal Container Radiation can give a fatal effect if the dose is received pretty much in a short term. Doses were not harmful can cause temporary pain symptoms, known as radiation sickness. Actually, how many doses of radiation allowed and when the radiation is classified in the scale of danger? Radiation levels can be minitored in many ways. The most advanced control system consists of a network of automated radiation measuring station that working 24 hours a day. In addition, there is authority that measures radiation in a specific point point and tegular interval. Specific radiation measurement system mounted extremely sensitive. The basic unit of radiation 167 dose in the system is sievert Sv. Which is usually used is mSv miliSievert. Value radiation of the most place is 0,0001 to 0,0002 mSvh. If it reaches 0,1 mSvh, it classified as danger. If it reaches 1 mSvh, it classified as a emergency. Image 16. Radiation Measuring Tool There is a national security scale called INES scale International Nuclear Event Scale that introduced by the IAEA in 1990. The benefit is the same as that used on the Richter earthquake scale. The security of the nuclear incident marked from level 1 to 7 on INES scale. While the nuclear incident without a safety threat is classified in class 0. The incident on level 0 to 3 is not considered as accident. While in level 4 to 7, we can call it as an accident. Beside in nuclear power plant, this scale is also applied to all nuclear installation, including for plant fuel element, fuel warehouse, and military installation. Here is an event of the nuclear accident levels according to INES: 168 Image 17. International Nuclear Event Scale The rate of population growth that rapid causing the increasing demand for energy needs. But the natural resource that we have got very limited and dwindling. There is an estimate that the resource will not enough in few years later. If we dont find any alternative energy sources, we could face an energy crisis in a few years later. Nuclear power is one of alternative energy resources. Compared to coal or petroleum, nuclear is relatively more efficient. The nuclear power plant can be used with a little fuel of uranium. Beside many advantages that nuclear power plant has, there are some people that dont agree with this nuclear power. Its because some explosion or leakage of the nuclear power plant. The effect quite dangerous if the reaction in the reactor is not controlled or if the safety of the reactor doesnt work. Some of cases is nuclear reactor leak or explosion. There is case that make the people in the world shocked, that is the case that happen in 1986. The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant explosion in Chernobyl, Ukraine is one of the worst disaster. The explosion of the nuclear power plant not only cause a fire, but also spread the radioactive particles across the city. As a result, all people in the city had to be evacuated and the city become a dead city. During the Chernobyk reactor accident, some of the firefighters died because of the radiation. The reactor is broken and radioactive substances contained in the fuel rose high into the air together with the burned gas. The wind carries radioactive substances to the outer border of the country. The 169 explosion released radiation 100 times greater than the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Half of Italy was contamined. The radiation also spread in most areas of Soviet and northern Europe. Chernobyl tragedy is the worst nuclear disaster in human history. This tragedy is in level 7 INES scale. It caused by human error and also due to the design of reactor that not meet the IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency standard. Image 18. One location of Dead City in Chernobyl Then there is a case of the Fukushima Daiichi reactor that exploded after earthquake and tsunami in Japan in 2011. The nuclear disaster is the worst after the Chernobyl disaster. The fourth reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi station is using a BWR Boling Water Reactor type. After 2011, there are still several times the news about Fukushima Daiichi reactor leak, In 2015, according to CNNs Indonesia, the nuclear radiation in that region is still quite high.