Expedition in the Atlantic: Search for 200,000 barrels of nuclear waste started!

Expedition in the Atlantic: Search for 200,000 barrels of nuclear waste started!

The search for radioactive waste in the northeast Atlantic has begun, raising not only scientific questions but also fears about the long-term consequences of this decades-long environmental pollution. Between the 1950s and 1980s, several countries dumped over 200,000 barrels of nuclear waste into the vast depths of the Atlantic. These are some of the frightening facts that are coming to light as part of the new NODSSUM project.

The expedition, focused on an area more than 1,000 kilometers west of La Rochelle, aims to map the main barrel dumping zone and study the behavior of radionuclides in the deep ocean. Project leader Patrick Chardon estimates that most waste loses its radioactivity after about 300 to 400 years. Only around two percent of the waste could radiate for longer, although the barrels are not designed to contain the dangerous radiation long-term. The mean thing about it? The consequences of nuclear waste disposal are largely unknown and the ecosystem in the region has been little researched star reported.

The technology in use

The diving robot Ulyx is used to discover the barrels. With a diving depth of up to 6,000 meters and the ability to approach 10 meters from the barrels, Ulyx will conduct the first scientific dives. During the month-long mission, the team will combine various technologies, including corying systems for sediment samples and a rosette sampler for water samples. The data collected will not only map the dumping sites, but also study the impact of the radioactive waste on marine life by installing traps for fish and crustaceans, they said CNRS.

Another concern is compliance with radioprotection measures throughout the expedition. Instruments to measure radioactivity are provided to conduct initial assessments. The collected samples will then reach various laboratories in Europe, where they will be further analyzed. This mission helps to better understand the impact of nuclear legacy on our oceans and informs future research projects.

The state of the marine environment

The current research efforts are in the context of the global problem of radioactive pollution in the oceans. Since the 1960s, seawater, suspended matter and sediments in the North and Baltic Seas have been examined for artificial radioactivity. The Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency has taken over monitoring since discharges from European reprocessing plants have been significantly reduced. Loud BSH The activity concentrations of artificial radionuclides in German waters are now low, which represents progress.

However, a gloomy panorama emerges in the Baltic Sea, where higher specific activities of Cs-137, a long-lived radionuclide, have been documented. Although the health risks for consumers of fish or seafood products are low, the question remains as to how these pressures will affect our ecosystems in the long term.

In summary, we face a remarkable scientific challenge that affects both the past and the future of our marine environment. The results of the NODSSUM mission will be of utmost importance in understanding what memories and radiation ghosts from the time of the atomic age will yet emerge from the depths of the Atlantic.