Environmental impact of radioactive silver released from nuclear power plant

Abstract

Radioactive silver ^110mAg is not a fission product, but as a contaminant originating from Chernobyl, was registered in many European countries. The environmental impact of radioactive silver was specially expressed in the process of obtaining copper and noble metals from ores originating from opencast mines. Direct consequence was contaminated metal silver in the period of several years after the Chernobyl accident. It was shown that radioactive silver originating from nuclear plants, present in the environment in small concentrations due to the high concentration degrees (10⁴-10⁶) can cause high contamination in the process of the production of metal silver. Experts responsible for the functioning of nuclear power plants should have these facts in mind if they are using silver compounds in reactor core influence area.