Background Radiation in Kerala

Background radiation is high in Kerala, but no risk, says the study.

In southern India, volcanic rock has higher radiation levels from uranium deposits.
Background radiation levels, or radiation emitted by natural sources such as rocks, sand, or mountains, are high in regions of Kerala.
A pan-India survey conducted by experts at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) discovered that they are approximately three times higher than previously thought.
This, however, does not imply an increased health risk.

About
- The term “radioactive pollution” refers to a rise in natural radiation levels in the environment that poses a major risk to people and other life forms.
- The presence or deposition of radioactive compounds on surfaces or within solids, liquids, or gases is referred to as radioactive contamination.
- Their presence is unintentional or unwanted (International Atomic Energy Agency definition).
Artificial Sources of Radioactive pollution
- Nuclear power plant accidents and nuclear waste.
- Explosion and testing of nuclear weapons (Nuclear fallout).
- The fallout contains radioactive elements such as;
  - Strontium-90
  - Caesium-137
  - Iodine-131
- Mining for uranium and other radioactive materials such as thorium (monazite is the ore of thorium).
- Radiation therapy and direct radiation exposure for diagnostic purposes (e.g., X-rays), chemotherapy, etc.
- Slow nuclear radiation can come from various sources, including nuclear reactors, laboratories, etc.
Natural Sources
- Cosmic rays from space and terrestrial radiations from radionuclides found in the earth’s crust, such as;
  - Radium-224, uranium-238, thorium-232, potassium-40, carbon-14, and others, are examples.

Radiation Syndrome
- Human tissues absorb radiation through contaminated water and food, posing major health concerns.
- High radiation doses can result in acute radiation syndrome or cutaneous radiation damage.
Disorders in Human Physiology
- Radiation exposure causes various physiologic problems in humans, including;
  - Cancer
  - Leukaemia
  - Genetic alterations
  - Cataracts, etc.
Mutation and Structural Alteration
- Genetic influences Ionizing radiation causes germ cell mutations
- It results in structural changes in germ cell DNA passed down to offspring.
- Furthermore, genetic illnesses can cause death or serious mental illness.

About
- The primary atomic minerals are uranium and thorium.
- Beryllium, lithium, and zirconium are other atomic minerals.
- Uranium deposits can be found in Jharkhand’s Singhbhum and Hazaribagh districts, Bihar’s Gaya district, and Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur district’s sedimentary rocks.
- Nonetheless, the monazite sands are the most important source of uranium.
- Monazite sands can be found on the east and west coasts and in some areas of Bihar.
- Nonetheless, the Kerala coast has the highest quantity of monazite sand.
- Monazite is thought to have over 15,200 tonnes of uranium.
- Uranium is discovered in the copper mines of Udaipur, Rajasthan.
- India generates approximately 2% of the world’s uranium.
- The overall uranium reserves are estimated to be 30,480 tonnes.
- Monazite is also used to make thorium.
- Thorianite is another mineral that contains thorium.
- Kerala, Jharkhand, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, and Rajasthan are the main producers.
- Beryllium oxide is a ‘moderator‘ used in nuclear reactors.
- India has enough beryllium deposits to meet its atomic power generation needs.
- Lithium is a light metal found in the minerals lepidolite and spodumene.
- Lepidolite is common in the mica belts of Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
- Zirconium can be discovered along the Kerala coast and in alluvial rocks in the Jharkhand districts of Ranchi and Hazaribagh.

Uranium reserves in India are insignificant, and imports provide for all necessities.
India receives hundreds of tonnes of uranium from Russia, Kazakhstan, and France, and the country is attempting to import uranium from Australia and Canada.
In addition, India is attempting to address concerns about nuclear proliferation and other related issues.
Several high-quality reserves have lately been discovered in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana between the Seshachalam forest and Sresailam.

A secure water supply now necessitates properly analysing and monitoring radioactive contaminants.
Prevention and precautionary measures can reduce anthropogenic sources of radioactive contamination in water resources.
Furthermore, aeration, reverse osmosis, ion exchange, and granule carbon adsorption are all efficient remedial procedures for treating radioactively polluted water.

Pic Courtesy: freepik

Content Source: The Hindu