International Liability for Damage Caused by Nuclear Leaks : Fukushima Accident as a Model

2018 ◽  
pp. 1-32
Author(s):  
Hachem , Yousfat Ali ◽  
Mahdaoui , Abdelkader
Keyword(s):  
Fukushima Accident ◽  
International Liability

scholarly journals A Search for Causes of Rising Incidence of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer in Children and Adolescents after Chernobyl and Fukushima: Comparison of the Clinical Features and Their Relevance for Treatment and Prognosis

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (7) ◽  
pp. 3444
Author(s):  
Valentina Drozd ◽  
Vladimir Saenko ◽  
Daniel I. Branovan ◽  
Kate Brown ◽  
Shunichi Yamashita ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thyroid Cancer ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Differentiated Thyroid Cancer ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Distant Metastases ◽  
Lifestyle Changes ◽  
Radiation Doses ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Fukushima Accident ◽  
Tumor Stages

The incidence of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is steadily increasing globally. Epidemiologists usually explain this global upsurge as the result of new diagnostic modalities, screening and overdiagnosis as well as results of lifestyle changes including obesity and comorbidity. However, there is evidence that there is a real increase of DTC incidence worldwide in all age groups. Here, we review studies on pediatric DTC after nuclear accidents in Belarus after Chernobyl and Japan after Fukushima as compared to cohorts without radiation exposure of those two countries. According to the Chernobyl data, radiation-induced DTC may be characterized by a lag time of 4–5 years until detection, a higher incidence in boys, in children of youngest age, extrathyroidal extension and distant metastases. Radiation doses to the thyroid were considerably lower by appr. two orders of magnitude in children and adolescents exposed to Fukushima as compared to Chernobyl. In DTC patients detected after Fukushima by population-based screening, most of those characteristics were not reported, which can be taken as proof against the hypothesis, that radiation is the (main) cause of those tumors. However, roughly 80% of the Fukushima cases presented with tumor stages higher than microcarcinomas pT1a and 80% with lymph node metastases pN1. Mortality rates in pediatric DTC patients are generally very low, even at higher tumor stages. However, those cases considered to be clinically relevant should be followed-up carefully after treatment because of the risk of recurrencies which is expected to be not negligible. Considering that thyroid doses from the Fukushima accident were quite small, it makes sense to assess the role of other environmental and lifestyle-related factors in thyroid carcinogenesis. Well-designed studies with assessment of radiation doses from medical procedures and exposure to confounders/modifiers from the environment as e.g., nitrate are required to quantify their combined effect on thyroid cancer risk.

Influence of sorption parameters on cesium-137 removal using modified activated carbon obtained from corchorus olitorius stalks

2020 ◽  
Vol 108 (10) ◽  
pp. 799-808
Author(s):  
Mostafa M. Hamed ◽  
Mahmoud M. S. Ali ◽  
Aly A. Helal
Keyword(s):  
Natural Waters ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Radioactive Cesium ◽  
Corchorus Olitorius ◽  
Fukushima Accident ◽  
Modified Activated Carbon ◽  
Cesium Ions ◽  
Cesium 137 ◽  
Sorption Parameters ◽  
Surface And Groundwater

AbstractRemoval of 137Cs radionuclides from the environment has engrossed the concern of researchers after Fukushima accident. The leakage of radioactive cesium ions can lead up to surface and groundwater contamination, and this leads to pollution of drinking water sources. In this work, corchorus olitorius stalks has been used as a novel precursor for production of low-cost mesoporous activated carbon (Meso-AC) and HNO3/H2O2-modified Meso-AC (m-Meso-AC). The physicochemical properties of all adsorbents were evaluated. The influences of sorption parameters and presence of some ligands (humic acid, fulvic acid, and EDTA) on the sorption of 137Cs were studied. The maximum 137Cs capacity of m-Meso-AC was found to be 58.74 mg/g. Efficiency of the new adsorbent to remove 137Cs radionuclides from natural waters (tap, river, and groundwater) was investigated. The studies showed that new adsorbent could be used as promising material for the retention of 137Cs from real radioactive waste and natural water samples.

Space Debris Mitigation as an International Law Obligation

2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 297-335
Author(s):  
Lawrence Li
Keyword(s):  
International Law ◽  
Space Debris ◽  
Outer Space ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
International Responsibility ◽  
International Liability ◽  
International Instruments ◽  
Space Activities ◽  
Proper Interpretation ◽  
Debris Mitigation

Human space activities have grown rapidly in recent decades, but the international legal framework, comprising of the five space treaties, has largely remained unchanged since the 1980s. One of the consequences is that international responsibility and liability for space debris, which is a major hazard to space activities, have also remained uncertain for years. Nonetheless, States have responded to these problems by implementing national voluntary measures. More importantly, two major non-binding international instruments have been laid down by the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee and the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, respectively. This article argues that, in light of recent States practice established under these international instruments, and a proper interpretation of the space treaties, it has been recognised by the international community that States are obliged to mitigate the generation of space debris, a failure of which will lead to international liability.

scholarly journals Characterization of two types of cesium-bearing microparticles emitted from the Fukushima accident via multiple synchrotron radiation analyses

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hikaru Miura ◽  
Yuichi Kurihara ◽  
Masayoshi Yamamoto ◽  
Aya Sakaguchi ◽  
Noriko Yamaguchi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Synchrotron Radiation ◽  
Fukushima Accident

scholarly journals The OpenRadiation project: monitoring radioactivity in the environment by and for the citizens

2019 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 241-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.F. Bottollier-Depois ◽  
E. Allain ◽  
G. Baumont ◽  
N. Berthelot ◽  
G. Darley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Management ◽  
Dose Rate ◽  
Scientific Community ◽  
Emergency Situation ◽  
Collaborative Approach ◽  
Fukushima Accident ◽  
The Public ◽  
Collaborative Tools ◽  
Share Data ◽  
Project Monitoring

After the Fukushima accident, initiatives emerged offering the public the possibility to realise measurements of the radioactivity in the environment with various devices and to share data and experiences through collaborative tools. The objective of the OpenRadiation project is to offer the public the opportunity to perform measurements of the radioactivity using connected dosimeters on smartphones. The challenge is to operate such a system on a sustainable basis in normal situations and in order to be useful in an emergency situation. In normal situations, this project is based on a collaborative approach including pedagogical activities. In case of emergency situation, data from the field will be available in “real time” providing an opportunity for the emergency management and the communication with the public. The practical objectives are to develop i) a website centralising measurements using various dosimeters, providing dose rate maps with raw and filtered data and offering dedicated areas for specific projects and exchanges about data and ii) a dosimetric app using a connected dosimeter. This project is conducted within a partnership between organisms’ representative of the scientific community and associations to create links with the public.

The Fifty-Sixth Session of the International Law Commission

2005 ◽  
Vol 99 (1) ◽  
pp. 211-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Matheson
Keyword(s):  
International Law ◽  
International Organizations ◽  
Armed Conflict ◽  
Diplomatic Protection ◽  
Sixth Session ◽  
International Liability ◽  
International Law Commission ◽  
Fragmentation Of International Law ◽  
Law Commission

The International Law Commission held its fifty-sixdi session in Geneva from May 3 to June 4, and from July 5 to August 6, 2004, under the chairmanship of Teodor Melescanu of Romania. The Commission completed its first reading of draft principles on international liability for transboundary harm and draft articles on diplomatic protection, which have now been submitted for comment by states with a view to their completion in 2006. The Commission also continued its work on reservations to treaties, responsibility of international organizations, unilateral acts of states, fragmentation of international law, and shared natural resources. In addition, the Commission decided to start work next year on the effect of armed conflict on treaties and the expulsion of aliens, and to recommend adding a new topic—the obligation to prosecute or extradite—to its long-term program. The following is a summary of where each topic stands and what issues are likely to be most prominent at the Commission's 2005 session.

Fukushima accident: What happened?

2013 ◽  
Vol 55 ◽  
pp. 17-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Baba
Keyword(s):  
Fukushima Accident

A Design Proposal and Assessment of In-Vessel Retention Strategy for 2nd Generation PWR

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yabing Li ◽  
Lili Tong ◽  
Xuewu Cao
Keyword(s):  
Metal Layer ◽  
Success Probability ◽  
Computer Code ◽  
Injection System ◽  
Accident Analysis ◽  
Fukushima Accident ◽  
Pressurized Water ◽  
Water Storage Tank ◽  
2Nd Generation ◽  
Probability Density Distributions

In order to satisfy the higher safety requirements after the Fukushima Accident, in-vessel retention (IVR) strategy is suggested to be a measure for the improvement for the operating 2nd generation Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR). In this paper, a design of passive cavity flooding system isproposed for the 2nd generation modified PWR with reference to the design of in-containment refueling water storage tank (IRWST)for AP1000, and the IVR assessmentis evaluated with the risk oriented accident analysis methodology (ROAAM). Seven representational accident sequences are selected for the IVR assessment and analyzed by lumped-parameter safety analysis computer code. Accident analysis focuses on four key parameters forthe assessment, that is, decay power, zirconium oxidation fraction, and both the mass of oxidic pool and metal layer. The values of them are obtained through analysis and used for the assessment. The probability density distributions of those parameters are determined by combining the analysis results and engineering judgment. The success probability of IVR from the viewpoint of thermal failure is predicted using a program written by the Matlab code. Furthermore, some sensitivity analysis and parametric studies are investigated to support the assessment. The assessment result shows that the success probability of the cavity injection system is higher than 99%. Detail analysis about system reliability and feasibility is needed for further work.

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