2017 radiation release traced to Russian facility

In late 2017 the US Air Force deployed a WC-135 Constant Phoenix aircraft to Europe after increased radiation levels were detected. The amounts being detected were diluted enough to not be dangerous to people under it, but no one seemed to know where it was coming from.

www.vox.com...

The detected increase was in Ruthenium 106, meaning it had to come from a leak somewhere. It has now been traced to an accidental release from the Mayak Production Association, during fuel reprocessing. The release came sometime between September 26, and 27 2017. The total amount released was between 250 and 400 terabecquerels.

www.livescience.com...

a reply to: Zaphod58


Surprise, surprise, surprise
The Russians have an uncanny ability to release large amounts of radiation.

a reply to: Zaphod58

There really needs to be a good way to clean up cesium-137 after a major release.

I’m not sure how (GM plants? Chemicals? Aerogels? A sacrificial heard of cesium loving cars?? IDK), but it would be for the animals... including us.

Nice to know that it came from refueling efforts and not a reactor exposure to open atmosphere!

At least we have that going for us!

a reply to: Zaphod58

Thanks for the information. I found a couple of things of note from the live science article:

"Ruthenium-106 is a radioactive isotope of ruthenium, meaning that it has a different number of neutrons in its nucleus than the naturally occurring element has. The isotope can be produced as a byproduct during nuclear fission of uranium-235 atoms.

Although the resulting cloud of nuclear radiation was diluted enough that it caused no harm to people beneath it, the total radioactivity was between 30 and 100 times the level of radiation released after the Fukushima accident in Japan in 2011, Steinhauser told Live Science."

And

"Only radioactive ruthenium-106 — a byproduct of nuclear fission, with a half-life of 374 days — was detected in the cloud — Steinhauser said.

During the reprocessing of nuclear fuel — when radioactive plutonium and uranium are separated from spent nuclear fuel from nuclear power reactors — ruthenium-106 is typically separated out and placed into long-term storage with other radioactive waste byproducts, he said.

That meant that any massive release of ruthenium could only come from an accident during nuclear fuel reprocessing; and the Mayak facility was one of only a few places in the world that carries out that sort of reprocessing, he said."

I guess the bright side is the half life is only 374days.

I am curious about the comparison between Fukushima and this ruthenium release. Wasn't the Fukushima release far more dangerous nuclear material?

Quick search:

www.livescience.com...
Speaking of Chernobyl and Fukushima:
"In both meltdowns, the long-term hazards arose primarily from strontium-90 and cesium-137, radioactive isotopes with half-lives of 30 years."


It is all above my pay grade, but am interested in the subject.

Any problems coming out of Mayak is disturbing, Soviets did so much dumb stuff with dumping, storage, and production in the area.

a reply to: Onlyyouknow

Fukushima was more dangerous in terms of what was released, and concentration, but it's all measured the same way, and it's usually used as a comparison.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Stranger things season 3, russians had a hidden base under the ground out of a Mall in Indiana lol.. is this leaking all the way to France?

a reply to: MarlbBlack

It covered most of Europe. That's how it was detected.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I remember a few threads where radiation had been detected in Europe, nice to know finally you have wind of it. thank you for the research!

a reply to: Onlyyouknow

I guess the bright side is the half life is only 374days

You got that backwards in terms of the danger...the longer the half life the less radiation is emitted from decay meaning the dose you get is smaller. The shorter the half life the more radiation is emitted from decay meaning you get a larger dose of radiation. The shorter stuff isn't around as long but in the time it is the more dangerous it is. While the more stable radioactive stuff will be around longer it gives off less radiation from decay. Common misconception about half life...

a reply to: RickyD

Thanks for that; fascinating.

EU's radiation scare campaign, during the past 2-3 months is a clear indication that outdated and dangerous NPPs in France, Germany and Sweden (Malmo in particular) are leaking radiation. That's why , every now and then you can read on EU media , about "some radiation leaks suspected in Russia". It's the usual NATO countries' trick to cover their # !

... radioactive # ...

a reply to: Flanker86

That must be why Russia turned off for of it's monitoring stations and Putin told the world it's none of their business. Putin is in on the EU cover up. That is the explanation that makes most sense.