RadioActive Pollution
Radioactive Pollution Presented by Satyam Yadav
What is radioactive Pollution??? Radioactive pollution (also radioactive contamination) is the presence of radioactive substances in the environment. These substances are known as pollutants because they can cause damage to the environment. Animals, plants and humans can all fall ill due to radioactive pollution. Radiation can be made up of several different particles, including gamma rays, alpha particles, beta particles and a type of electron known as 'conversion electrons'.
Causes of radioactive Pollution Radioactive pollution is caused when radioactive matter is allowed to contaminate the environment. There are several main ways in which this can happen. A key cause of radioactive pollution is breaches at nuclear power plants, which can result in leakages of radioactive matter into the environment. As nuclear energy becomes a big alternative to fossil fuels, this risk increases. Another cause is chemical spills. Radioactive chemicals can, whether due to improper transport or to containers breaking, spill out into the atmosphere and onto the ground.
Effects of radioactive Pollution 1-Radiation alters and destroys cells in living organisms. Whether an organism is a plant or an animal (including a human), radiation can result in illness or death. 2-Radioactive pollution can cause genetic mutations in living organisms, and in their descendants. If an animal is exposed to radioactive pollution, for example, it may give birth to babies that have severe congenital defects. These mutations can also cause cancer, sometimes several years in the future, as well as conditions such as infertility 3-Damage to the soil and plants is another key effect of radioactive pollution. Radioactive pollution can leave soil infertile and unfit for crops for several decades. It can leave the air unsafe to breathe, too.
Control and prevention of radioactive Pollution 1. Safe storage: radioactive pollution needs to be stored in specialized containers, which do not break easily and which do not allow radiation to seep out. 2. Clear warnings: radioactive material can contaminate a person's clothing or their skin. Then, as that person moves through the environment, they can contaminate other living organisms in their turn. Clear warnings about the presence of radioactive material will prevent this from happening. Of course, animals are not able to read these warnings, and this is why adequate containers are also needed.