Causes and Consequences of Chernobyl Incident - Research Paper Example

Causes and Consequences of Chernobyl Incident Early in the morning on April 26th, 1986, engineers based at Chernobyl nuclear energy base of Ukraine were making final adjustments so that they could perform a power test. The electrical energy experiment was to be carried out in the fourth reactor. This test was going to be a second attempt to complete previous year’s experimentation. It was already planned that for necessary maintenance, the reactor in use would eventually be turned off completely (UNSCEAR 2000). As a fact the power supply was already lowered down almost 15 hours before the experimentation had resumed this time. Later on, this emerged in a news report that the said nuclear reactor was functioning at almost 7 per cent of its full capability. Records indicate that the test begun at 01:23 a.m. local time (The Telegraph 2011). It took not more then the next 60 seconds and a dreadful accident had occurred. The power supply had intensified which led to two disastrous explosions. As a result, highly intensified radioactive substance was also unleashed. The reactor was thoroughly destroyed, leaving behind an immense cloud of radioactive substance that rose to an estimated 3,300 feet straight to the skies. Due to the intense force of the blast, some of the released substance gradually scattered in the surrounding areas yet most of it was able to travel as far as Western Europe (Park 1986). International news agencies became active. The incoming reports strongly suggested that the overall design along with most of the operating functions of this High Power Reactor were outdated and poor. A lack of safety measures and other omissions on the part of reactor’s operating crew were being further added to the latest insights that may have led to this happening. More causes that actually lead to this disastrous accident were clarified after months when Soviet officials declared that the accident was a result of several failures (Park 1986). In the year 1992, a report was put together for the UN nuclear power watchdog, in which chief of the reactor’s statement was also quoted. It read: “01:24, serious shocks.” This statement that was obtained from the operator log clearly indicates that things were pretty much out of control right after the experimentation had begun. The report further elaborates as the engineer explains “the rods of Reactor Control & Protection System had actually stopped moving before they had touched the lower limit energy switches.” Later on, it was clarified in a report that was published in the Soviet newspaper that the atomic station was under-staffed during the accident, adding that most of the workers had left due to the upcoming “May Day holiday” This news added a lot to the situation. Some of the key engineers were also among those that were not present that day (Hoffmann 1986). Few analysts said that it was rather good that a less amount of people were available when the blasts occurred whereas others raised the point that this was probably an additional cause of the explosion. Due to the instant explosion, one of the workers was killed right away. His body was never to be found while another operating member lost his life after few hours following the grieve accident. He was taken to the hospital but could not survive. Firefighting team arrived in a short bit. They started their efforts to somehow extinguish the fire and take over the chaotic situation. More teams were summoned. All these fire-fighters were a target of an abnormal dose of radiation. Thus a total of 28 rescue workers along with plant’s serving members that were present at the sight would die in the up coming weeks. They were more likely to get infected by Acute Radiation Syndrome, commonly known as (ARS). Even though the number of causalities that had taken place and those that were to follow the leakage clearly called for a state of emergency, the Soviet authorities remained silent for another three days. On April 28th, TASS, an official news agency only reported this accident at Chernobyl after the Forsmark atomic power grid based in Sweden proclaimed an unexpected high flow of radiation. Many plant workers resided in Pripyat, an area located 1.5 miles away from the affected station and they were finally withdrawn during midday of April 27th. It should be kept in mind that unsuitable functioning conditions of the atomic grid station were also admitted by the Soviet authorities (Park 1986). Ukraine prime minister, Mr. Alexander Ilyashov stated on May 8th that based on earlier measurements it was being depicted that there is nothing much to worry about adding that the information received at first did not match the on field assessments. Chernobyl's authoritative bodies initially tried to pump water into the reactor’s core. Since the idea was a big flop, they decided to dump boron carbide along with 4,000 tons of sand mixed with clay and lead on the facility. Helicopters were brought to use for execution of the said task and as a result the member’s of initial flights and pilots received intensive radiation doses. They had to hover over the reactor in a nonmoving mode, making sure the loads hit the target. To avoid radioactive contact, they had also tried dumping while moving in circles. This added to the destruction around the area that might have supported the radiation spread. Not only this, majority of the international community has rightly protested against Soviet ruling authorities for initially blacking out the dreadful incident and slowing other necessary measures that were required to cease the situation. By the month of May, the involved authorities had succeeded in feeding enough nitrogen into the nuclear reactor. It was finally cooled down. A solid protection shelter named sarcophagus was assembled in October. It was designed in a way to prevent any additional leakage of radioactivity from the atomic reactor. The placement of this protection had allowed the other atomic reactors at the Chernobyl base to resume their functioning and produce power for Ukraine. It took numerous efforts along with immense international pressure to completely close down the Chernobyl nuclear Power grid in December 2000. Although initiatives were taken for a replacement, the sarcophagus stays in place. A number of disputes and conflicts were raged regarding the death toll with estimates that were backed by UN commissions stating only a few dozen human deaths could be attributed to Chernobyl incident but some conservationists say the estimated figure meets an estimate of tens of thousands. However, Times reported that the atomic reactor that had exploded was actually designed in a way to withstand extra pressure and the reason as to why this information took a little while to be revealed is still a puzzle (Hoffmann 1986). It is said that about 800,000 liquidators, were directly involved in the entire cleaning up process after the accident. According to previously issued figures by government authorities in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, up to 25 000 of these liquidators have so far lost their lives as a result of their exposure to radioactivity. According to the statistic report the total number of dead is 100 000 (Liquidators’ commission’s report). This unfortunate happening that was caused due to negligence at Chernobyl nuclear base can be rated as the most severe and life-threatening accident ever to take place in the industry of atomic energy. Not only the reactor was destroyed, extensive amount of radioactive substance was discharged into the environment. As a response, the authorities ordered evacuation of about 115,000 people from surroundings of the reactor and later on resettled about a total of 220,000 people from the Russian Federation, Belarus and Ukraine. Critical psychological and social disruptions were caused for all of them who were affected. Huge economical losses were also encountered. Major domains of these three countries were polluted with radioactive substance were also measurable in all other countries up to the northern hemisphere. Among those who resided in the Russian Federation, Belarus and Ukraine, up to 6,000 thyroid cancer cases have been reported since the year 2005. Most of the victims were children and teenagers who were adversely exposed during the accident. Latest researches further point out that more of such cases are more likely to prevail in the upcoming decades. It has been two decades after the accident and this is the only unusual increase of disease as there is no further evidence found that hold an impact towards public health at a major scale and the ones that can be added to the category of radiation exposure ailments (UNSCEAR 2000). A report, Greenpeace, was completed and put forward that feared that the overall consequences of this Chernobyl disaster could top up a total of quarter million cancer related cases and up to 100,000 fatal cancers (Greenpeace 2006). Even though extremely exposed individuals are at a higher risk of radiation-related effects, the majority of the population is not believed to undergo serious health issues as a result of radiation leakage accident. However a number of health problems have been observed in the populations that are unrelated to the topic of radiation exposure. The main components of radio-nuclides that were discharged from the nuclear reactor and became the cause of exposure were primarily caesium-134, iodine-131 and caesium-137. From these components, Iodine-131 happened to have a short radioactive life that lasts until eight days. However, it can be transmitted relatively at a rapid scale by traveling through air and through intake of infected leafy vegetables and milk. Iodine localizes in the thyroid gland. Due to the intake of dairy products by children and the size of their thyroids and metabolism rate, the radiation doses are normally higher as compared with adults. Earlier records indicate that in ten years time, before the Chernobyl accident, only seven children were diagnosed with thyroid cancer in Belarus. However, within the next four years of this accident the rate had increased by up to 30 times. Furthermore, it was not until the year 1995 that World Health Organization (WHO) had officially acknowledged the linkage between radiation leakage from Chernobyl and thyroid gland cancer. The components of caesium have comparatively a longer life (study proves that caesium-134 has a life of up to 2 years where as life of caesium-137 is measured as long as 30 years) Therefore they are capable of causing a long-term exposure traveling through the ingestion paths and also through external contact. Several other radio-nuclides were involved in the accident. Scientists based in Belarus have researched at the building-up process of caesium within the organs of human body, especially the heart. They have reached to a conclusion that this could be held accountable for the recorded raise in heart related disease in both adults and children. (UNICEF)- United Nations Children’s Fund examined various health issues in Belarus and gave following statistical increase between the year 1990 and 1994: Cardiovascular ailments - 43 %, Nervous system disorders - 43 %, Disorders of connective tissues, muscles and bones - 62 %, gastrointestinal ailments - 28 % and Diabetes - 28 % (WHO 2006). A statistically approved correlation between the radioactive fallout from Chernobyl atomic accident and a high increase in the ratio of cancer related cases in certain exposed areas within Sweden is reported in a study that was conducted by scientists based at Orebro University, Linkoping University and the County’s Council of Vasternorrland County (Swedish Research Council 2004). Further analytical reports suggest that within a short span of time after the atomic energy disaster, there was a rapid increase in reproductive disorder cases. Four the next four years a high ratio of premature births, stillbirths and miscarriages was recorded. The rate of abnormality development in newborns was also triggered up to 3 percent (Ukraine Ministry of Health, 1986-1990). Above study leaves us with no doubts that the overall state of health of those living in the polluted and affected districts is highly poor. However, various other causes are also cited besides the radiation leakage. These can be listed as poor diet, poverty and unhealthy living conditions. After passing away of fifteen years, a German radiation specialist, Edmund Lengfelder stated that ever since the Chernobyl disaster, a large growth in non-malignant ailments has been observed in the population. In March 2002, the Ukrainian federal agency Chernobyl Interinform reported that up to 84% of the three million’s in Ukraine who became a victim of radiation exposure were registered as sick. This percentage includes up to one million children. The radiations traveled to various parts of Turkey, Greece, Lithuania, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Estonia, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Canada and even the UK. The accident at Chernobyl atomic power grid was an absolute tragedy for all that fell victims to it and for those who were mostly affected as they had to suffer all sorts of hardship ranging from ailments, psychological issues and evacuations. Most of the people dealing directly with this emergency were not able to survive. Even though the majority of victims were children and recovery workers, remaining population will have to fear less about serious ailing consequences due to the radiation from the Chernobyl accident. Most of them were exposed to radiation levels that are estimated to be slightly higher then normal levels. Exposures in future are more likely to slow down as the radio-nuclides gradually decay. Lives have been disrupted on a serious scale by the Chernobyl incident, but if observed from a radiological view, positive prospects for future health should prevail. If there is improved radiation monitoring and upgraded radiological protection functions such atomic energy accidents that cause intensive disasters can be avoided. Works Cited Greenpeace. "Chernobyl Death Toll Grossly Underestimated | Greenpeace International." Greenpeace | Greenpeace. Web. 29 Nov. 2011. . Hoffmann, Eric P. "Nuclear Deception: Soviet Information Policy." Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 43.1 (1986): 32-37. Park, Chris C. Chernobyl: the Long Shadow. London: Routledge, 1989. Swedish Research Council. “Chernobyl Disaster Caused Cancer Cases in Sweden.” ScienceDaily, 21 Nov. 2004. Web. 29 Nov. 2011. . Telegraph. "Chernobyl Anniversary: How the Disaster Unfolded - Telegraph." Telegraph.co.uk - Telegraph Online, Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph - Telegraph. 26 Apr. 2011. Web. 29 Nov. 2011. . "UNSCEAR 2000 Report, Sources and Effects of Ionizing Radiation Annex J, Exposures and Effects of the Chernobyl Accident." United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR). Web. 30 Nov. 2011. . World Health Organization. "Health Effects of the Chernobyl Accident and Special Health Care Problems." WHO, Geneva, 2006. Web. 30 Nov. 2011. . Read More