Question

For how many half-lives do spent fuel rods remain a threat to human health?

A. At least 2
B. At least 5
C. At least 8
D. At least 10
E. Once they are spent, fuel rods are no longer dangerous.

Answer 1

Spent fuel rods remain highly radioactive for thousands of years due to substances like plutonium and strontium-90, requiring secure storage for many generations.

Step-by-step explanation:

Spent fuel rods from nuclear reactors are highly radioactive and pose a significant threat to human health and the environment. They contain not only unreacted uranium isotopes but also transuranium elements such as plutonium and americium, as well as other unstable nuclei. These materials continue to emit radiation for thousands of years. For example, strontium-90, one of the long-lived and dangerous products in nuclear waste, has a half-life of 28.8 years and requires storage for approximately 300 years (or roughly 10 half-lives) to reach an acceptable level of radioactivity. Conversely, plutonium-239 has an incredibly long half-life of 24,000 years and poses a long-term risk. As such spent fuel rods remain a significant threat for many generations and safe storage solutions are critically important.