Jun 03, 2019 23:00:00

What happens if you swallow the 'spent nuclear fuel from Chernobyl' just like sand grains?

by

Rainer Hungershausen

In the vicinity of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant , which is known as one of the world's worst nuclear power plant accidents, fragments of spent nuclear fuel as large as sand grains have been found. Carl Willis, reactor supervisor at the University of New Mexico, answers the question, 'What if I swallow this piece?'

-Quora Carl Willis' answer to If I agest a sand size piece of the Chernobyl Reactor No. 4 core, what would happen to my body?-Quora
https://www.quora.com/If-I-ingest-a-grain-of-sand-size-piece-of-the-Chernobyl-Reactor-No-4-core-what-would-happen-to- my-body / answer / Carl-Willis-2

Willis initially said that although the probability of developing cancer is slightly increased in theory, 'a spent nuclear fuel that is more than 30 years old probably will not happen .'

The following photo shows 'A piece of spent nuclear fuel from Chernobyl nuclear power plant,' which Mr. Willis actually picked up. Size 0.0002 cubic cm, mass 2 mg or less. Willis used a scintillation detector to measure radiation and found the shard 15 feet away on the grass near the building. However, when picking it up, he needed a more accurate detector. From the intensity of radioactivity and the gamma ray spectrum, it was identified as a spent nuclear fuel.

The fragments are less soluble in

uranium dioxide (uranium (IV) oxide) , so they are unlikely to be absorbed even in an acid environment as intestinal. However, if it is absorbed in the intestine, it will be covered by cesium 137 and strontium 90 for a total of about 40 millisieverts. Exposure Exposure Willis says that it will approach the 5 rem (50 millisievert), which is the annual dose limit for American radiation workers.

However, even if it does not immediately die, the impact of swallowing a piece of nuclear fuel will come out to other parts. For example, at Chernobyl, you must pass a dosimeter when you leave the restricted area. If the fragments are inside the body, they will be caught by the dosimeter and may be under surveillance until the fragments are removed from the body or the radiation weakens.

Also, if you are working as a radiation worker at the Chernobyl NPP, you will definitely be fired if it turns out that you've swallowed a bit carelessly. Even if you know that you have entered the body for reasons other than intentional or negligence, you can not return to work until you have measured the radioactivity in the body and fell below the threshold.

'In short, it is better not to eat spent nuclear fuel,' Willis concludes.

by Ben Adlard