Bombs dirty

Countries and groups that lack access to nuclear weapons may still have opportunities to obtain radioactive materials such as spent nuclear fuel. A bomb in which a conventional explosive charge causes dispersal of radioactive material is known as a dirty bomb. Such a device could result in psychological effects exceeding the physical damage it caused. Once again, new techniques are needed for detection (of both the explosive and radioactive material), and decontamination procedures would be essential if such a device were used. 

See The Times (London), March 28th 2004, Mobile to Serve as Dirty Bomb Detectors . 

Minimizing Exposure to Radiation (Dirty Bomb) and Warfare Agents... 

Dirty bomb A conventional explosive device also containing radioactive materials used for the express purpose of contaminating property and/or terrorizing the general public. 

Nuclear fuel rod Fuel element in a nuclear reactor, typically composed predominantly of U-238 and U-235 could be used in a dirty bomb. 

Using radioactive materials in combination with conventional explosives to create a dirty bomb... 

The most extreme case of gamma radiation dose would arise from explosion of a nuclear weapon. Nuclear weapons release intense gamma radiation that can produce fatal doses miles from an explosion (see Chapter 5). A less extreme but more likely scenario involves radioactive materials dispersed via conventional explosives (dirty bombs), where only the immediate area is contaminated with gamma-emitting radionuclides. 

Nuclear fuel and associated waste products also include plutonium and enriched uranium (<20% U-235) and associated waste or fission products that emit intense radiation and can pose significant threats if dispersed with conventional explosives (i.e., by a dirty bomb). Industrial sources include a range of devices used in geological investigation and radiography, and may also pose significant hazards if dispersed by a dirty bomb. Examples of radioactive materials that could be used in a dirty bomb include ... 

Table 2.1 lists specific radionuclides that may be present in nuclear fuel rods or industrial sources used to construct a dirty bomb. It also lists the radiological half-lives of each radionuclide, whether they are present in fresh or spent fuel rods, and their potential industrial applications. Note that the actual suites of isotopes for given fuel rods will vary depending on the origin and composition of the original fuel mixture. The uranium and plutonium isotopes found in fuel rods may also be found... 

Radiation activity levels for a dirty bomb made with spent fuel depend on the age of the fuel. A simple rule to consider is that any radionuclide will decay to 1% of the original concentration after seven half-lives or will decay to insignificant concentrations after ten half-lives. Therefore, if a fuel rod is removed from a reactor several days before detonation in a dirty bomb, all the isotopes listed in Table 2.1 will likely be present. If a fuel rod was last used in a reactor 5 years before detonating a bomb, ruthenium-106 and cerium-144 will have decayed to insignificant concentrations. 

Acute exposures are also typically associated only with external exposures. While it is conceivable but highly unlikely that inhaled, ingested, or injected radionuclides could produce large doses over a short time, it is much more likely that acute exposures from a terrorist attack (e.g., with a dirty bomb) would come from external gamma radiation. 

It is also unlikely that the doses associated with a dirty bomb will produce even the milder acute effects. Although the observation of acute radiation syndrome may be unlikely after a dirty bomb explosion, doses should be kept ALARA to limit the potential for acute and stochastic effects. The entire range of acute radiation syndrome effects will be observed after an attack with a nuclear weapon, as described in Chapter 5. 

Radiation from a dirty bomb can emanate from a blast site in a contaminated plume of smoke or in contaminated debris. Radiation cannot be detected without special instruments, and radiation exposures can occur even without direct contact. Therefore, leaving a damaged building does not eliminate the risk of exposure. An effective tool to minimize or eliminate the potential for hazardous substance exposure is to move away from the site of the attack and into a building that provides protection from airborne contaminants. 

The response to a nuclear explosion differs dramatically from the response to an attack with conventional explosives. When conventional explosives such as dirty bombs disperse radiological materials, the health hazards from the radiation exposure are secondary to the explosion (flying shrapnel, debris, fire, and smoke). In the case of a nuclear explosion, the risks of death, serious short-term health effects, and serious long-term health effects are no longer secondary to the explosion. 

Chapter 4 described methods for limiting the time of exposure to weapons of mass destruction that utilize no explosives (e.g., aerosol delivery) or use of conventional explosives (e.g., dirty bomb). The basic procedure is to leave the contaminated area as quickly as possible, enter a nearby building to shelter against airborne contamination, remove soiled articles of clothing, and wash all exposed body parts (including the mouth and hair) as soon as possible. In Chapter 4, the time factor is applied primarily to limit the chances of potential future health effects. In this section, the time factor is applied after a nuclear explosion to prevent serious bodily harm and death. 

MINIMIZING EXPOSURE TO RADIATION (DIRTY BOMB) AND WARFARE AGENTS... 

The following rules provide guidance on how emergency responders can best minimize exposure to weapons of mass destruction that utilize no explosives (e.g., aerosol delivery of agent) or use conventional explosives (e.g., dirty bomb) ... 

For the United States of America, 9/11 was a slap in the face, a punch in the gut (actually, the ultimate sucker punch), and a most serious wake-up call. The 9/11 wake-up call generated several reactions on our part—obviously, protecting ourselves from further attack became (and hopefully still is) priority number one. In light of this important need (i.e., the survival of our way of life), the Department of Homeland Security was created. According to Barack Obama (2007), the Department of Homeland Security does the work that ensures no other family members have to lose a loved one to a terrorist who turns a plane into a missile, a terrorist who straps a bomb around her waist and climbs aboard a bus, a terrorist who figures out how to set off a dirty bomb in one of our cities. ... 

Dirty bomb An explosive device that contains radiological/radioactive shrapnel. 

In 2003, the FDA approved Prussian blue for the treatment of contamination with radioactive cesium (137Cs) and intoxication with thallium salts. Approval was prompted by concern over potential widespread human contamination with radioactive cesium caused by terrorist use of a radioactive dispersal device ("dirty bomb"). The drug is part of the Strategic National Stockpile of pharmaceuticals and medical material maintained by the CDC... 

The increasing threat of international terrorism was one motivation for development of ISE for the determination of Cs+ in environmental samples [80]. In an event such as a Chernobyl-type disaster or the explosion of a dirty bomb , cesium is one of the most important reaction products and is expected to be the most significant threat to public health [81]. With a detection limit of 10 8M, the developed electrode is sensitive enough for this application and the successful detection of cesium activities in spiked water samples has been demonstrated (see Procedure 2 in CD accompanying this book). In addition, the electrode shows excellent selectivity to cesium in the presence of high levels of strontium, an important interferent originating from nuclear explosions. 

Table 2.2 summarises the results obtained for all of the water samples. A very good correspondence between spiked and experimentally obtained results was observed. A relative experimental error in most cases was <10% indicating the possibility of using these electrodes as an early warning system in the event of a large contamination of natural waters with cesium, such as in the event of a nuclear reactor accident, e.g., Chernobyl, or the detonation of a dirty bomb . 

Once the basics of nuclear chemistry have been covered, we can move on to explore a major threat in the area of nuclear terrorism the radiological dispersion device, or dirty bomb. Although any radioisotope could theoretically be incorporated into a dirty bomb, the U.S. government has identified nine isotopes that are most likely to be used in such a device (Table 4.1 ).4... 

Anderson, P. (2002) Radiological Dispersal Devices The Dirty Bomb Challenge. Washington, DC Center for Strategic and International Studies. Angier, N. (2008) The Canon. New York Houghton Mifflin. 

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