It turns out that a small amount of radioactive isotopes were detected in the air in many northern European countries last week, and it is speculated that the source may be near the Baltic Sea. Then a Dutch official pointed the finger at Russia, saying that the source might be a Russian nuclear power plant. However, Russia denied this statement as soon as this inference was raised. Radioactive isotopes have been detected in the air of many Nordic countries
Why are everyone afraid of exposure to radioactive isotopes? All countries strictly monitor radioactive isotopes in the air? Because exposure to radioactive isotopes can cause genetic mutations, which can induce various cancers, greatly increasing the risk of cancer, leading to an increase in mortality.
There is an agency that monitors radioactive isotopes in the air called the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization, or CTBTO for short.
On June 22 and 23, 2020, CTBTO detected abnormal levels of radioactive isotopes cesium (Cs) and ruthenium (Ru) in Stockholm, Sweden, but they were not harmful to the human body.
The Estonian Environmental Protection Agency’s monitoring report on the 28th also found radioactive isotope anomalies, and subsequently Finland and Norway also detected small amounts of radioactive isotopes.
CTBTO head Lacina Zerbo released a map marking the possible sources of radioactive isotopes, covering northwest Russia, Finland and southern Sweden, and the Baltic Sea. Dutch officials claimed that the source was Russia, but Russia denied it
After the British BBC reported on the 28th that radioactive isotopes were detected in many countries, a Dutch official claimed that the source of radioactive isotopes may come from northwest Russia.
Russia quickly denied this statement, saying that the Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant and the Kola Nuclear Power Plant in the northwest region are operating normally, the surrounding radiation levels are within the standard range, and no reports of accidents have been received. .
The person in charge of CTBTO said that the particles detected this time are related to nuclear fission and may come from civilian sources. The specific source of radioactive isotopes is not yet known
According to the regional analysis of radioactive isotope sources by the person in charge of CTBTO, in addition to the two Russian nuclear power plants named by Dutch officials, Sweden and Finland also have nuclear power plants in the suspected areas. Another point is that the two nuclear power plants in Sweden are abandoned nuclear power plants that are being dismantled. I don’t know whether there may be leakage of nuclear particles generated during the dismantling process.
The specific source of the nuclear particle leakage is still under investigation. The source is not yet known. Everything is just inference.
The advantages of nuclear power plants and the dangers of nuclear leakage
There are really many benefits of nuclear power plants, but nuclear leakage is also very scary. What are the advantages? Let me briefly list the benefits of nuclear power plants: Nuclear power generation, unlike fossil fuel power generation, does not emit a large amount of waste pollutants into the air, reducing air pollution. Helps slow down the greenhouse effect. Nuclear power plants generate electricity more cheaply and at lower cost than other traditional methods of generating electricity. The energy density of nuclear fuel generated by nuclear power plants is millions of times higher than that of fossil fuels. The fuel generated by nuclear power plants occupies a much smaller volume, making it easier to transport and store.
Nuclear leakage from nuclear power plants will most directly cause human cells to become cancerous, thus inducing cancer. Therefore, the supervision of nuclear particles around the world is very strict.