Did You Know?
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Nuclear Operators are college or university graduates who are responsible for the safe operation of nuclear reactors. For more information, see: For a lesson about this topic, see: |
Introduction
Oftentimes we are not even aware of the presence of nuclear technology and its many applications in our day-to-day lives.
Besides the use of nuclear technology in energy production and life-saving in the medical field, it permeates many commercial, industrial, food processing and agricultural fields as well.
Consumer Products
Radiation or radioactive materials are used in the manufacturing and operations of many consumer items:
Cosmetics, hair products, and contact lens solutions are sterilized with radiation to remove irritants and allergens.- Many smoke detectors rely on a tiny radioactive source to detect smoke from a fire.
- Photocopiers use small amounts of radioactive material to eliminate static and prevent paper from sticking together and jamming the machine.
Industry
Many industries use radioactive materials to take measurements without direct physical contact with the substance being measured, such as the thickness and density of paper on a paper-making machine or the height of a fluid in a tank. Radiography using a radioactive source is used to inspect finished goods for weaknesses and flaws.
Applications include:
- studying groundwater origin, age, distribution, and quality; on-line determination of sulphur and nitrogen in coal;
- sterilization of medical supplies such as surgical dressings, bandages, and sutures;
- looking for defects in the welds in oil and gas pipelines.
Food irradiation
Canada is a leader in the development of the technology used to treat fruits, vegetables, and meats with radiation to prolong their shelf lives and prevent the risk of food-borne illness.
Irradiation kills parasites, insects and bacteria in food, including listeria, salmonella and potentially deadly e. coli, and retards non-microbial spoilage of certain food. Today, more than 50 food products have been approved for irradiation in 40 countries.
In 1992, the World Health Organization called food irradiation a “perfectly sound food preservation technology.” The head of the group’s food safety unit said irradiation is “badly needed in a world when food-borne diseases are on the increase and where between one-quarter and one-third of the global food supply is lost post-harvest.”
Agriculture
To improve agricultural production, harmful insects can be eliminated by using radiation to sterilize the males of the species. Used widely around the world, this method replaces the use of chemical pesticides. Canada played a leading role in developing this technique. A domestic application was the control of the codling moth in British Columbia’s apple orchards.