Multiple Nuclear Uses

Despite common assumption, nuclear is not just used as an energy source. There are multiple uses that are available which can benefit human society. This post will give a brief overview of the other nuclear processes that may be further developed in the future.

Nuclear reactors can produce radioisotopes, which are radioactive and emit particles or waves (WNA 2015a). The radioisotopes are of other important use, other than the splitting of the uranium isotope atom for energy production. One of the most common uses of nuclear reactor products is the household smoke detector. Americium-241 originates within nuclear reactors; it emits alpha particles which consequently allows for a current to pass through. If smoke enters the detector it is absorbed by the emitted alpha particles, cuts the current and initiates the alarm. Nuclear products are therefore a mainstay in developed households – a desire to remove all reactors (Greenpeace 2015) could therefore limit public safety. The counter-argument would be that nuclear disasters are a far greater risk to public health than smoke detection.

Nuclear radioisotopes are commonly used within the domestic smoke detector. Image Source (SafeSoundFamily 2015).

Nuclear energy is not only produced for domestic or industrial use, it also has a strong prevalence within transportation. For example it is highly desirable within ships and ocean vessels that have to remain in the ocean for prolonged periods of time, without the capability for refuelling (WNA 2015b). Current estimates suggest that over 140 ships are powered by 180+ nuclear reactors (WNA 2015b). Furthermore nuclear electricity production can be essential to provide for electric cars, allowing for nuclear energy to further reduce the threat of emissions that is paramount within current global energy choices. The heat from nuclear reactions can also be used in the formation of liquid hydrocarbon fuels from coal – arguably this does not support its positive influence on mitigating climate change, but highlighting its importance in an ever-increasingly mobile society.

The US nuclear reactor-powered Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Tuscon (Washington Times 2015).

Transportation into space has also been heavily influenced by the nuclear potential (WNA 2015c). For example radioisotope thermoelectric generators have been the dominant energy resource within the US space programme which the 1960s. One way in which it is utilised is to aid the propulsion once in space. Nuclear fission heats a hydrogen propellant fuel – this hot gas which is in excess of 2500°C is then released and provides additional thrust. Therefore nuclear energy may be central to progressing human knowledge further into the unknowns of space!

N-15 radioisotopes can be used in fertilizers to detect the level of nitrogen uptake certain crops undertake (WNA 2015a) – this will therefore allow for more efficient fertilizer use and increase the productivity to its capacity. Furthermore, radiation induced mutations have been promoted to develop over 1,800 crop varieties (WNA 2015a). Often through the use of gamma radiation or neutron irradiation, new genetic pathways can be produced. Potentially aiding food security and developing crops that are resistant to pests or droughts for example. Obviously this does have the potential to mitigate world hunger; however there are also the clear ethical complications of human culture integrating itself within nature (Castree 2003). This irradiation has also been utilised to preserve food such as vegetables and meat (WNA 2015a). The irradiation can remove insects from food stocks as well as gamma exposure removing bacteria, allowing for greater preservation – once again overcoming a global challenge of food security. Irradiation of the food does not make it radioactive – therefore the health concerns that inevitably will arise from nuclear opposition can be dismissed.

Nuclear isotope production also has an importance within hydrology and water security. They can be useful tracers of groundwater flows and identification of new sources (WNA 2015a). They can aid investigations into the age, as well as the residency time – which will be essential in calculating the max sustainable yield in order for groundwater extraction to remain sustainable. This use is likely to gain greater importance in the coming years with increasingly infrequent precipitation and prolonged droughts removing large proportions of surfice water sources in arid and semi-arid locations (Taylor 2012).

Current severe drought in Botswana. Highlighting importance of accessing and detecting groundwater sources. Photographer: Tshepo Mongwa (Daily News 2015).

As previously mentioned nuclear has the vast potential to be used within desalination, both of ocean water and urban waste water (WNA 2015d), further highlighting the importance in providing water security. The World Economic Forum report in January 2015 claims freshwater access will be the predominant global crisis over the next 10 years - therefore nuclear is essential in preventing this high magnitude concern to increase further. Wars over water have been a mainstay in historic conflict, nuclear may provide a greater opportunity for peace. Ironic, when weapons and war are commonly attached to images of nuclear! Furthermore, common desalination practice currently uses fossil fuels (WNA 2015d), therefore nuclear can mitigate climatic warming at the same time as ensuring the global population has access to an essential resource. Evidence from Kazakhstan, India and Japan show the costs of desalination via nuclear to be of a similar cost to the fossil fuel method (WNA 2015d), US$ 70-90 cents/ m3, suggesting it is cost effective and therefore increasing the chances of wider scale transition.

Nuclear radioisotopes also have a strong importance within the medial sphere, with nuclear techniques providing better examinations than traditional x-ray (WNA 2015a). Nuclear techniques allow the images of bone AND soft tissue to be developed, allowing greater medical information to be collected. Furthermore, the use of the isotope Iodine-131 is a common, successful cure for thyroid cancer (WNA 2015). Whilst there is also the development of a new technique that uses the nuclear isotope samarium-153 alongside organic phosphate to treat cancerous growths within the bone. Therefore nuclear products cannot be generalised as a risk to human health – they may in fact be central to improving it!

Therefore views on nuclear have to be expanded, it is no longer just a process of energy creation (despite that being the dominant use) – but a process that can provide food and water security, treat medical illnesses and expand the limits of human knowledge. Surely something which such potential has to be supported in the coming years!