Radioactive waste and their impact on aquatic organisms

M.C.Prabhath AS2012180Department of Zoology University of Sri Jayawardenepura 30.03.2016Radioactive waste and their impact on aquatic organisms 1

Content Introduction Radiation and radioactivity Radiation health effects Radioactive waste Development of radiation injury Effects on aquatic animals of acute and chronic exposure to ionizing radiation from radioactive waste.Radiological effects on aquatic organisms in the areas with high levels of radioactive contamination.Laws and regulations and radiation Radioactive waste and Sri Lanka Summary Discussion References

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Introduction

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Radiation and Radioactivity 4Radiation is the transport of energy through space .Two types of radiation. - Ionizing radiation - Non ionizing radiation When radiation transfers enough energy to displace electrons from atoms and break the bonds that hold molecules together, it is called ionizing radiation.Radioactivity is the property of certain unstable atoms to disintegrate spontaneously, releasing radiation and forming a different nucleide.

Radiation Health Effects 5Radionuclides are carcinogens and at high doses can also cause rapid sickness and death.The health effects of exposure to radiation depend on many factors. - type of radiation - the amount of energy it delivers - the length of exposure time - the organs and tissues exposed - characteristics of the exposed person

Radioactive waste 6Radioactive wastesarewastesthat contain radioactivematerial.Radioactive wastesare usually by-products ofnuclearpower generation and other applications ofnuclear fission ornucleartechnology, such as research and medicine.Radioactive waste is divided into three broad categories. - High Level Waste - Intermediate Level Waste - Low Level Waste

7Five main sources of radioactivity to the enviornment. - Primordial and natural sources - Nuclear weapons testing - Nuclear Power generation - Nuclear reprocessing industry - Various military, industrial,medical and research establishment

8There are four principal methods of radioactive waste disposal . - Air Dilution - Water and Mud Dilution - Storage and shipping - Burial

Development of radiation injury 9The development of radiation injury occurs at three levels of biological organization . - Molecular level - Cellular level - Organismal level Modifications of Radiation Injury

Summary 10

11When an organism has been exposed to ionization radiaion , energy absorbed in tissues induces atomic changes.These changes may occur through ionization or excitation.Direct and indirect effects

Effects on aquatic animals of acute and chronic exposure to ionizing radiation from radioactive waste.12Mortality Pathophysiology ReproductionDevelopment Genetics

Mortality 13Salmo gairdnerii - 58R one cell or blastodisc stage is most sensitive - 300 500 R Irregular relationship of sensitivity and incresed dose Paralichthys lethostigma - LD 50/50 2500 R

Pathophysiology 14Effects on - Haemopoietic tissue - Immunity - Intestinal epithelium

15Gambusia affinis depression of hemopoiesis Oncorhynchus tschwytscha Number of hemopoietic cells significantly decreesed.Plaice susceptibility for infection increased .Gold fish developed intestinal damage which lead to death.Grass shrimp- amino acid generation is affected Salmo gardnerii- depressed immune response

Reproduction 16Oryzias latipes 500R significant decrese in oviposition frequency Salmo gardenerii induction of sterility.Amphipod reduced egg production Brine shrimp progressive decrease in sensityvity of oocytes throughout prophase and into metaphase.Freshwater snail Reduced fecundity ,viability and fertility

Development 17Salmo gardnerii Retardation in growth,abnormalities in embryos.Cyprinus carpio hatiching decreased Chinook salmon opecular defects , Guppy lower weights , Freshwater snail- embryo development decreasedBrine shrimp- decrease of body weight

Genetics 18Mutation Chromosome breakage Chromosome rearrangements Faulty segregation of chromosomes

Chromosome aberrations 19Umbra limi aberrant metaphase Plaice high level of mitosis Midges- inversions and deletions ,aberrations in salivary gland chromosomes.Polychaete- Increased frequency of chromosomal aberrations

Mutations20Mosquito fish presence of radiation induced lethal mutationsRainbow trout mutations in germ cells Guppy color pattern mutationBrine shrimp mutations in germ cells

INCIDENTS and IMPACTS 21Mayak complex of nuclear reprocessing plant - Techa river and lake Karachai 1949-1956 - Radioactive waste from the plant - Number of lakes radiation accident(Kystym accident ) - Annual doses 300- 800 Gy/d - ecosystem destruction -Abnormalities in developing larvae - Bottom dwelling and phytophagous fishes are affected - commercial catches of fishes are prohibited -

22Chernobyl NPP- - one of the worlds most highly contaminated waterbody - Various radioactive elements - abnormalities in fish - Changed morphology of gonads - Reproductive system of silver carp

23Leningrad NPP- - very low contamination - accumulation in algae - Abnormalities in fishes

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Fukushima nuclear disaster 25Whole food chain was affected Ecosystem death in near shore area Various radionuclides On going researches Chemical . Physical changes in the ecosystem

Radioactive waste and Sri Lanka 26Atomic Energy Agency Act no 19 in 1969It functions as the National regulatory Authority in the use of radiation and radioisotopes to ensure the protection of the workers , the public and the environment from potentially harmful effects of ionizing radiation.Categories High risk, Medium risk and Low risk

Laws, regulations and Radiation 27International - Comprehensive Nuclear test ban treaty - European Environmental law - Handbook of Nuclear low - International Atomic Energy Agency conventions and legal agreements Countries Japan the atomic energy basic low UK- Atomic energy act

Discussion 28

References Aarkrog, A. (1994). Radioactivity in polar regionsmain sources. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 25(1), 21-35.Anderson, S. L., & Harrison, F. L. (1986). Effects of radiation on aquatic organisms and radiobiological methodologies for effects assessment.Fuller, N., Lerebours, A., Smith, J. T., & Ford, A. T. (2015). The biological effects of ionising radiation on Crustaceans: A review. Aquatic Toxicology, 167, 55-67.Higgins, E. (1950). Radioactive wastes and their significance in stream ecology. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society, 79(1), 217-232.Krumholz, L. A., Goldberg, E. D., & Boroughs, H. (1957). The Effects of Atomic Radiation on Oceanography and Fisheries. NAS-NRC Publ, 551, 69-79.Kryshev, I. I., & Sazykina, T. G. (1998). Radioecological effects on aquatic organisms in the areas with high levels of radioactive contamination: environmental protection criteria. Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 75(1-4), 187-191.Woodhead, D. S. (1971). The biological effects of radioactive waste. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences, 177(1048), 423-437.

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Thank you !!!

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Questions

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