Aquatic Pollution and Coastal Management

Unit 10 : Radioactive pollution

10.1.Introduction to Radioactive pollution
Organisms on this planet have been under constant exposure to some background radiation, such as from cosmic rays and naturally occurring substance, but during the course of evolution they have adopted themselves to live with this natural radiation without harmful effect. But the radioactive pollution problem started when the man learnt to split the atoms by releasing radioactivity over the natural level.
The radioactive isotopes have been used for a number of beneficial uses such as power generation, medical uses, research, atomic weapons, nuclear tests etc. Even these beneficial uses are not free from hazards because of leaks, accidents, problems of disposal of radioactive wastes and the damaging effect of long-term exposure. Much of the radioactivity released from these sources ultimately reaches the aquatic bodies including river, lake,ground water and oceans.
In the aquatic body these radionuclides are readily absorbed by the organisms. The uptake puts the radionuclides in the food chains. The producers like plants and phytoplankton take up the radioactive substances directly from the water and pass on them to the members of higher tropic level. Man is often the ultimate sufferer because of his position is at the top in many food chains.