From Contents of Lecture #23: Nuclear Waste of Lecture Notes for NRPE 201: Advanced Energy Systems

Who needs Radioactive Materials?

Medicine

·Each year, one in three of the 30 million Americans who are hospitalized are studied or treated with nuclear medicine techniques. Radioactive isotopes are used in more than 10 million nuclear medicine procedures every year in the U.S., as well as 100 million laboratory tests on body fluid and tissue specimens.

·Myocardial perfusion imaging maps the blood flow to the heart, allowing doctors to see whether a patient has heart disease and determine what kind of treatment will be most effective.

·Lung scans use radioactive materials to detect the presence of blood clots.

· Bone scans can detect the spread of cancer six to 18 months sooner than X rays.

·Laboratory techniques using radioactivity can detect underactive thyroids in newborn babies, making prompt treatment possible and saving many children from mental retardation.

·Renal scans are much more sensitive than X ray or ultrasound procedures in fully evaluating kidney function.

·Compared to drug therapy, radioactive iodine is a more reliable treatment for hyperthyroidism, has a lower recurrence rate, and avoids potentially fatal sideeffects like destruction of bone marrow.

·Imaging with radioactive technetium99m can help diagnose bone infections in young children at the earliest possible stage.

· Cardiac imaging is lower risk and reduces the need for the more expensive and hazardous cardiac catheterization.

·Radioactive xenon133 gas is used for diagnostic studies to evaluate functioning of the lungs and blood flow in the brain.

Scientific Research

· At least 80 percent of all new drugs must be tested with radioactive materials before they can be approved as safe and effective by the Food and Drug Administration.

·Radioactive materials are an essential part of biomedical research into the causes and cures for diseases like AIDS, cancer and Alzheimer's disease.

· Carbon14, a naturally occurring, longlived radioactive substance, makes it possible for archaeologists to tell when artifacts contaming plant or animal material were alive, created or used. For example, carbon14 dating showed that the Shroud of Turin did not belong to the period when Christ was alive.

· Criminal investigators use radiation to examine physical evidence and to link suspects to crimes.

Industry

· The automobile industry uses radioactive materials to test steel quality in cars.

· The paper industry uses radioactive materials in the production of coated paper.

· Manufacturers of cans use radioactive materials to obtain the proper thickness of tin and aluminum.

· Aircraft manufacturers use radiation to check for flaws in jet engines.

· Construction crews use radioactive materials to gauge the density of road surfaces and subsurfaces.

· Pipeline companies use radioactive materials to test the strength of welds. Oil, gas and mining companies use them to map the contours of test wells and mine bores.

· Museums rely on radioactive materials to verify the authenticitv of paintings and art objects.

Agriculture

· 800 new varieties of hardier, more disease-resistant crops-- including peanuts, tomatoes, onions, rice, soybeans and barley--have been developed in agricultural research laboratories through the use of radioactive materials.

·To breed disease-resistant livestock, scientists use radioactive materials to pinpoint where illness strike animals.

· Research into how plants absorb fertilizer helps prevent the overuse of fertilizers, a source of soil and water pollution.

· Radioactive materials help farmers and scientists control insect pests to obtain greater crop yields. Unlike chemicals, which can leave unhealthy residues in the soil, on plants and in water, this technology does not pollute. When Califorma faced infestation by Mediterranean fruit flies, nuclear technology was used to bring the pests under control.

· Radioactive carbon14 is used to determine whether irrigation can be introduced on a sustainable basis.

Consumer Products and services

· More than l00 nuclear power plants provide about 20 percent of U.S. electricity. Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, New Jersey, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia generate more than 50 percent of their electricity from nuclear energy.

· Smoke detectors--installed in 88 percent of U.S. homes--rely on a tiny radioactive source to sound the alarm when it senses fire.

· Radiation is used to toughen the rubber in radial tires and assure that steel belts in those tires are properly aligned.

· Computer disks "remember" data better when they are treated with radioactive materials.

· Nonstick pans are treated with radiation to ensure that the plastic coating will stick to the surface.

Photocopiers use small amounts of radiation to eliminate static and prevent paper from sticking together and jamming the machine.

· Radiation is used to scan luggage at airports, which protects passengers by discovering concealed weapons and explosives. It also is used to check imported cargo for illegal narcotics shipments.

· Cosmetics, hair products and contact lens solutions are sterilized with radiation.

· Textiles are treated with radioactive materials to give them desirable qualities, like the ability to repel water.

· Radiation is used to measure the correct amount of air whipped into ice cream.

Source: Used from a Government Site at 51) What Do You Know About Low-Level Radioactive Waste? U.S. Council for Energy Awareness (Reference#51)

Why Do We Need Radioactive Materials? is the next section of the Contents of Lecture #23: Nuclear Waste of Lecture Notes for NRPE 201: Advanced Energy Systems