Would it not be possible to dilute nuclear waste until its radiation level is close to the background level? It could then be dumped anywhere.
2006-07-08 08:08:27 · 9 answers · asked by Joseph G 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
diluting the waste would make the solvent itself radioactive, increasing the levels of radioactivity.
also, it would take a lot of solvent to dilute the waste for the radiation levels to go down that much, which would cost too much.
2006-07-08 08:17:28 · answer #1 · answered by dennis_d_wurm 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No that is impossible. No mater how you dilute it, it will still be just as radioactive.
For instance one of the mildest forms of radiation is the alpha particle. Cover it with a simple piece of paper and it cannot even be read by a normally set giger counter. Dilute it and pour it into water. It may be the only particle in the river. Get it in a cut or swallow it and you will die!
Vitrified in glass radioactive waste is safe. What is more it gives off 3 Kilowatts of heat for fifty years and then only reduces by a small amount. Just think what could be done with that amountof energy!
2006-07-08 08:16:57 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It wouldn't be considered feasible since it does not take a lot of some of the dangerous isotopes to be a hazard. It would be a great idea if it was feasible. One of the big advantages of Nuclear power is that its waste is compact, we just need to come to an agreement how to store it.
2006-07-08 08:14:48 · answer #3 · answered by Norm 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
nuclear radioactivity is a process of the weak nucler force, it doesnt stop until the atom has lost all of its extra nutrons
regardless what you diluted it with the substance would still be releasing radioactivity and polluting the surrounding area.
You can dump it all in the ocean but it will continue decaying for eons and contaminating what ever it contacts.
2006-07-08 08:14:54 · answer #4 · answered by JCCCMA 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It takes a very long time for it to decay and even a small amount of it is incredibly dangerous.
"Another factor in managing wastes is the time that they are likely to remain hazardous. This depends on the kinds of radioactive isotopes in them, and particularly the half lives characteristic of each of those isotopes. The half life is the time it takes for a given radioactive isotope to lose half of its radioactivity. After four half lives the level of radioactivity is 1/16th of the original and after eight half lives 1/256th.
The various radioactive isotopes have half lives ranging from fractions of a second to minutes, hours or days, through to billions of years. Radioactivity decreases with time as these isotopes decay into stable, non-radioactive ones.
The rate of decay of an isotope is inversely proportional to its half life; a short half life means that it decays rapidly. Hence, for each kind of radiation, the higher the intensity of radioactivity in a given amount of material, the shorter the half lives involved.
Three general principles are employed in the management of radioactive wastes:
* concentrate-and-contain
* dilute-and-disperse
* delay-and-decay.
The first two are also used in the management of non-radioactive wastes. The waste is either concentrated and then isolated, or it is diluted to acceptable levels and then discharged to the environment. Delay-and-decay however is unique to radioactive waste management; it means that the waste is stored and its radioactivity is allowed to decrease naturally through decay of the radioisotopes in it."
2006-07-08 08:11:38 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hmmm... You got any idea how much dilution would be necessary? You got any idea how little plutonium is needed to cause thyroid cancer? You can't dilute it to backround radiation levels. It would be nice if you could.
-Dio
2006-07-08 08:13:20 · answer #6 · answered by diogenese19348 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Probably the best answer would be that you'd need a lot of money to do that.
2006-07-08 08:12:44 · answer #7 · answered by astroman300000 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
DILUTION is NOT the solution for POLLUTION.
you try doing this simple experiment:
place 10g of salt in a glass of water (try drinking it)
now place 10g of salt in a liter of water (try drinking it)
and then 10g of salt to a gallon of water (same thing, drink it)
now what am i pointing to?
same amount of salt in different solutions, but still 10g of salt is present in it, it still doesn't solve that 10g of salt would become less, it is still 10g, right?
2006-07-08 11:34:10 · answer #8 · answered by Sir RJ 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There used to be an old saying, "Dilution is the solution to pollution."
2006-07-08 11:28:32 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
dilution is not the solution to pollution
2006-07-08 08:11:49 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋