Expert discovers simple method of dealing with harmful radioactive iodine

摘要

A novel way to immobilise radioactive forms of iodine using a microwave has been discovered by an expert at the University of Sheffield. Iodine radioisotopes are produced by fission of uranium fuel in a nuclear reactor. Radioactive iodine is of concern because it is highly mobile in the environment and selective uptake by the thyroid gland can pose a significant cancer risk following long term exposure. Furthermore, iodine-129, which is a type of radioactive iodine, has an extremely long half-life of 15.7 million years, so is one of the most significant long-term hazards faced by the population due to its emission during the geological disposal of nuclear waste.