Nuclear Chemistry- Radioactive Waste

Radioactive waste is waste that contains radioactive material. Radioactive waste is usually a by-product of nuclear power generation and other applications of nuclear fission or nuclear technology, such as research and medicine. Nuclear fission is a nuclear reaction in which a heavy nucleus splits spontaneously or on impact with another particle with the release of energy. Nuclear waste can be found in the liquid, solid, and gaseous state. It is very harmful to the environment if it is not disposed of properly. The waste can seep into the soil and affect the groundwater.  This is one of the radioactive waste plants which pollutes the air.

Nuclear waste is the result of industrial, scientific, and medical processes that use radioactive materials. The most prominent source of nuclear waste is a nuclear reactor. Fuel used in nuclear reactors to generate heat for electricity becomes nuclear waste after it has been used for years. Nuclear was does not just go away once it is used. Nuclear waste can last for over a thousand years, depending on the level of waste. Waste is categorized by either high, intermediate, or low level waste. This helps people determine how to dispose of the waste properly.

The disposal of waste is very important as the environment can be affected greatly by improper disposal. High level waste must be cooled before being handled. After it has cooled, a worker in a factory can dispose of it, but they must be shielded by a dense material such as concrete or steel, or by meters of water. Water serves as both a cooling agent and a shielding agent, so it is used by many industries that make nuclear or radioactive waste. After the waste has been cooled in water, the workers can either keep it in the closed water or they can transport it to containers of concrete. Nuclear waste is very harmful to the body of humans and other organism as it can cause mutations within them to grow.
 This image shows the harmful effects of radioactive waste and the mutations it can cause for organisms.


Sources and Pictures:
http://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel-cycle/nuclear-wastes/radioactive-waste-management.aspx

Video to Watch:
https://youtu.be/p9MlFM7fixk