Latest news with #OregonStateUniversity
a day ago
- Politics
How targeting Iran's nuclear facilities could impact the environment
The destruction of uranium enrichment sites that support Iran's nuclear program would not likely have severe environmental consequences, several nuclear experts told ABC News. Israel has stated that its attack on Iran is aimed at destroying its capabilities of producing nuclear weapons, alleging that the uranium enrichment sites within Iran are producing materials to make a nuclear weapon. Facilities across Iran range from those extracting uranium to processing facilities where the uranium is transformed into the right chemical form before it goes through the process of enrichment -- or increasing the quantity or concentration, Kathryn Ann Higley, distinguished professor of nuclear science and engineering at Oregon State University and president of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, told ABC News. "Iran would deny that those are nuclear weapon facilities," Matthew Bunn, who leads nuclear policy research at Harvard University, told ABC News. "They're nuclear facilities for sure. Iran claims they're for producing civilian fuel." The enrichment sites are located in Fordo, deep inside a mountain in northwestern Iran, and in Natanz -- which was targeted by military strikes last week. Other facilities targeted include the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center, used for metallic uranium production, and the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. Israel confirmed that they struck Isfahan again Friday night, targeting centrifuge production areas. While the conflict is concerning, radioactivity as a result of the military strikes is not a top concern, nuclear experts say. "There's plenty to worry about in the Iran-Israel war, but the release of radioactivity is not one of them," Lee Berstein, a professor in the nuclear engineering department at the University of California, Berkeley, told ABC News. Uranium isn't radioactive enough to present a widespread threat The sites targeted so far in Iran contain centrifuges that spin really fast and separate and enrich uranium into a higher grade, Emily A. Caffrey, director for the Health Physics Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, told ABC News. However, the rule of thumb with radioactive materials is, the longer the half life, the less dangerous it tends to be in the short-term, Berstein said. But even materials with long half-lives can be hazardous over longer periods of time. The half life of Uranium-235 is more than 700 million years, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There is radiological and chemical contamination at the Natanz facility, where an above-ground portion of the fuel enrichment plant was damaged after a military strike on June 13, International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Grossi told the United Nations Security Council on Friday. The facility likely contained canisters of uranium hexafluoride gas that was released into the environment as a large gas cloud once it was hit, Caffrey said. Uranium hexafluoride is the main risk stemming from the uranium enrichment sites, Di Fulvio said. The gas results from the separating of uranium that is essentially a "precursor" of nuclear fuel. But those gas clouds do not have the ability to cause long-term contamination or radioactive issues, Caffrey said. "It's just a big, heavy gas molecule, so it's not going to go very far," Caffrey said. Enrichment operates at very low pressure, almost near-vacuum pressure, Bunn said, adding that the centrifuges themselves have very little uranium hexafluoride. The canisters would contain the majority of the gas. While there is destruction at multiple sites -- including Natanz, Isfahan and Arak as well as sites in Tehran -- there are no sites where radiological activity has been identified outside facilities, Grossi said. No radiation leaks were reported at Natanz during previous incidents in which the facility sustained damage in 2020 and 2021 -- the latter being a cyber attack, said Angela Di Fulvio, an associate professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and director of the Arms Control Domestic and International Security Program. How far radiation spreads from any particular release depends on the weather -- wind in particular, but also rain, Bunn said. If hexafluoride interacts with water, it can create hydrofluoric acid, causing some chemical issues but not radioactive ones, Caffrey said. "There are a lot of countries that have borders on the Persian Gulf that would not want to see the water in the Gulf contaminated by clouds of radioactive particles blowing in the wind passing over the coasts," said John Erath, senior policy director of the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation. However, uranium hexafluoride appears to be confined within the facilities that were targeted and is manageable with appropriate procedures and safety precautions, Di Fulvio said. Over time, the leaked uranium hexafluoride would get diluted and diffuse out of the environment, Higley said. How does exposure to uranium affect the human body If ingested or inhaled, uranium hexafluoride gas -- in which each of the molecules has six fluorine atoms -- can cause kidney damage, Caffrey said. Atoms combined with a heavy metal can be a "really toxic substance," but usually in large quantities, Bunn said. "You would need to inhale or imbibe a humongous amount of it into your body in order for there to be any effect," Berstein said. The danger isn't radioactivity but rather the heavy metals, Bernstein said. Another 'Chernobyl' situation is unlikely, experts say The 1986 nuclear disaster at Chernobyl likely wouldn't be replicated, even if one of the nuclear reactors in Iran were targeted by military strikes, the experts said. "The Chernobyl disaster was a very special event that was a result of a really badly designed power plant," Bernstein said. Israel and the U.S. are likely being very cognizant of avoiding the nuclear reactors due to the potential disaster that could result if they are hit, Erath said. Nuclear reactors are also now solidly built and would require a large amount of fire power -- such as the U.S. military's massive bunker-buster bombs -- to cause an explosion, the experts said. One of the factors that exacerbated the Chernobyl disaster was a design flaw within the nuclear reactor that exploded, Bernstein said, adding that the design is no longer used. Striking Iran's nuclear reactors -- used to generate nuclear power -- wouldn't release nearly as much radioactive material as Chernobyl, the experts said. The Khondab reactor was under construction and did not contain fuel or other nuclear materials when it was hit on Thursday, according to the IAEA. The Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, a 1,000-megawatt facility built by Russia, has also been a focus of recent concern, Di Fulvio said. Expulsion of radioactive materials from Bushehr could result from one of three ways: a direct hit by a rocket or missile; damage to the pool of water where spent fuel, the radioactive nuclear fuel that has been removed after it has generated electricity, is stored for cooling; and if the electricity supplied to the plant is interrupted and the plant loses all backup means to generate electricity, M.V. Ramana, a physicist and professor at the University of British Columbia's school of public policy and global affairs, told ABC News. "Although the Israeli military might not be deliberately targeting Bushehr, it is a possibility given the extensive bombing that Iran has been subject to," Ramana said. Grossi warned that the Bushehr nuclear facility might be hit, saying that this would be, "the nuclear site in Iran where the consequences of an attack could be most serious." "It is an operating nuclear power plant and as such it hosts thousands of kilograms of nuclear material, Grossi said. This plant is used for energy production and not for uranium enrichment, Di Fulvio said. Iran is required to return spent fuel rods from Bushehr back to Russia when they are safe for transport.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
How targeting Iran's nuclear facilities could impact the environment
The destruction of uranium enrichment sites that support Iran's nuclear program would not likely have severe environmental consequences, several nuclear experts told ABC News. Israel has stated that its attack on Iran is aimed at destroying its capabilities of producing nuclear weapons, alleging that the uranium enrichment sites within Iran are producing materials to make a nuclear weapon. Facilities across Iran range from those extracting uranium to processing facilities where the uranium is transformed into the right chemical form before it goes through the process of enrichment -- or increasing the quantity or concentration, Kathryn Ann Higley, distinguished professor of nuclear science and engineering at Oregon State University and president of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, told ABC News. "Iran would deny that those are nuclear weapon facilities," Matthew Bunn, who leads nuclear policy research at Harvard University, told ABC News. "They're nuclear facilities for sure. Iran claims they're for producing civilian fuel." The enrichment sites are located in Fordo, deep inside a mountain in northwestern Iran, and in Natanz -- which was targeted by military strikes last week. Other facilities targeted include the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center, used for metallic uranium production, and the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. Israel confirmed that they struck Isfahan again Friday night, targeting centrifuge production areas. While the conflict is concerning, radioactivity as a result of the military strikes is not a top concern, nuclear experts say. "There's plenty to worry about in the Iran-Israel war, but the release of radioactivity is not one of them," Lee Berstein, a professor in the nuclear engineering department at the University of California, Berkeley, told ABC News. MORE: Bombing Iran's underground Fordo nuclear plant might not be effective, one expert says The sites targeted so far in Iran contain centrifuges that spin really fast and separate and enrich uranium into a higher grade, Emily A. Caffrey, director for the Health Physics Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, told ABC News. However, the rule of thumb with radioactive materials is, the longer the half life, the less dangerous it tends to be in the short-term, Berstein said. But even materials with long half-lives can be hazardous over longer periods of time. The half life of Uranium-235 is more than 700 million years, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There is radiological and chemical contamination at the Natanz facility, where an above-ground portion of the fuel enrichment plant was damaged after a military strike on June 13, International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Grossi told the United Nations Security Council on Friday. The facility likely contained canisters of uranium hexafluoride gas that was released into the environment as a large gas cloud once it was hit, Caffrey said. Uranium hexafluoride is the main risk stemming from the uranium enrichment sites, Di Fulvio said. The gas results from the separating of uranium that is essentially a "precursor" of nuclear fuel. But those gas clouds do not have the ability to cause long-term contamination or radioactive issues, Caffrey said. "It's just a big, heavy gas molecule, so it's not going to go very far," Caffrey said. Enrichment operates at very low pressure, almost near-vacuum pressure, Bunn said, adding that the centrifuges themselves have very little uranium hexafluoride. The canisters would contain the majority of the gas. While there is destruction at multiple sites -- including Natanz, Isfahan and Arak as well as sites in Tehran -- there are no sites where radiological activity has been identified outside facilities, Grossi said. MORE: Climate change could unearth, disturb Cold War-era nuclear waste buried by the US, officials say No radiation leaks were reported at Natanz during previous incidents in which the facility sustained damage in 2020 and 2021 -- the latter being a cyber attack, said Angela Di Fulvio, an associate professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and director of the Arms Control Domestic and International Security Program. How far radiation spreads from any particular release depends on the weather -- wind in particular, but also rain, Bunn said. If hexafluoride interacts with water, it can create hydrofluoric acid, causing some chemical issues but not radioactive ones, Caffrey said. "There are a lot of countries that have borders on the Persian Gulf that would not want to see the water in the Gulf contaminated by clouds of radioactive particles blowing in the wind passing over the coasts," said John Erath, senior policy director of the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation. However, uranium hexafluoride appears to be confined within the facilities that were targeted and is manageable with appropriate procedures and safety precautions, Di Fulvio said. Over time, the leaked uranium hexafluoride would get diluted and diffuse out of the environment, Higley said. MORE: Chernobyl nuclear disaster altered the genetics of the dogs left behind, scientists say If ingested or inhaled, uranium hexafluoride gas -- in which each of the molecules has six fluorine atoms -- can cause kidney damage, Caffrey said. Atoms combined with a heavy metal can be a "really toxic substance," but usually in large quantities, Bunn said. "You would need to inhale or imbibe a humongous amount of it into your body in order for there to be any effect," Berstein said. The danger isn't radioactivity but rather the heavy metals, Bernstein said. MORE: Experts predict lasting environmental damage from Russia's invasion of Ukraine The 1986 nuclear disaster at Chernobyl likely wouldn't be replicated, even if one of the nuclear reactors in Iran were targeted by military strikes, the experts said. "The Chernobyl disaster was a very special event that was a result of a really badly designed power plant," Bernstein said. Israel and the U.S. are likely being very cognizant of avoiding the nuclear reactors due to the potential disaster that could result if they are hit, Erath said. Nuclear reactors are also now solidly built and would require a large amount of fire power -- such as the U.S. military's massive bunker-buster bombs -- to cause an explosion, the experts said. One of the factors that exacerbated the Chernobyl disaster was a design flaw within the nuclear reactor that exploded, Bernstein said, adding that the design is no longer used. Striking Iran's nuclear reactors -- used to generate nuclear power -- wouldn't release nearly as much radioactive material as Chernobyl, the experts said. The Khondab reactor was under construction and did not contain fuel or other nuclear materials when it was hit on Thursday, according to the IAEA. The Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, a 1,000-megawatt facility built by Russia, has also been a focus of recent concern, Di Fulvio said. MORE: Concerns mount over conflict in Chernobyl exclusion zone Expulsion of radioactive materials from Bushehr could result from one of three ways: a direct hit by a rocket or missile; damage to the pool of water where spent fuel, the radioactive nuclear fuel that has been removed after it has generated electricity, is stored for cooling; and if the electricity supplied to the plant is interrupted and the plant loses all backup means to generate electricity, M.V. Ramana, a physicist and professor at the University of British Columbia's school of public policy and global affairs, told ABC News. "Although the Israeli military might not be deliberately targeting Bushehr, it is a possibility given the extensive bombing that Iran has been subject to," Ramana said. Grossi warned that the Bushehr nuclear facility might be hit, saying that this would be, "the nuclear site in Iran where the consequences of an attack could be most serious." "It is an operating nuclear power plant and as such it hosts thousands of kilograms of nuclear material, Grossi said. This plant is used for energy production and not for uranium enrichment, Di Fulvio said. Iran is required to return spent fuel rods from Bushehr back to Russia when they are safe for transport. The consequences of attacking the Tehran Nuclear Research Reactor would be amplified by the high-density population of Tehran, Di Fulvio said.
Japan Times
4 days ago
- Health
- Japan Times
Geography helps shield Brazil from U.S.-style bird flu epidemic, for now
Brazil's vast and diverse geography, with the Amazon to the north, mountain ranges along the Atlantic coast and the Andes to its west, may have helped it avoid the U.S. fate of widespread bird flu among commercial poultry flocks by keeping migratory birds away from farms in the country's interior. Wednesday marks more than a month without a new bird flu case on a commercial poultry farm in Brazil, ending an observation period after its first such outbreak. The success brings hope to farmers that there will be no repeat of the persistent infections in the U.S., where the virus devastated the domestic egg industry and triggered lasting trade bans. There are doubts, however, whether the landscape can offer long-term protection. Bird flu has spread around the world, even reaching Antarctica for the first time in 2024, in a threat to poultry flocks, wild birds and mammals, including U.S. dairy cows. In Brazil, the Andes may delay the entrance of virulent new strains for two or three years, said Alex Jahn, researcher at Oregon State University's department of integrative biology. But Brazil will remain at risk for outbreaks as wild bird populations now infected with the virus circulate more widely. South American birds can migrate in all directions depending on rainfall, Jahn said, unlike the north-south seasonal migration over the United States. Those migratory flyways over the U.S. appear to be major vectors for contagion between wild birds and commercial poultry, said John Clifford, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's former chief veterinary officer. "If you look at the wild waterfowl patterns, that's probably the key," said Clifford. "We have four flyways coming in through the U.S." By contrast, the Amazon basin acts as a natural filter keeping wild birds away from Brazilian poultry, said Guillermo Zavala, a U.S.-based avian health consultant who has worked in the poultry industry for more than 30 years. The wild birds spreading the virus tend to spend time in nesting areas north of the equator, he said. Masaio Ishizuka, a senior epidemiologist at the Sao Paulo University, said evidence suggests migratory birds have now infected local Brazilian species, making the bird flu virus endemic in the world's largest chicken exporter, which accounts for 39% of global trade. Last month, Brazil's first outbreak on a commercial farm led to the culling of about 17,000 breeding chickens, producing birds raised for meat. Since then, meatpackers BRF and JBS culled at least 141,000 healthy chickens preemptively. Brazil has detected 174 cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu, since 2023, mostly in waterfowl along the coast, according to government data. The United States has confirmed the virus in about 10 times as many commercial and backyard flocks since 2022, the USDA said. About 175 million U.S. chickens, turkeys and other birds have been culled. China has blocked poultry products from Brazil and most U.S. states due to outbreaks, and other nations also restricted shipments. Russia, Saudi Arabia and Mexico enforce statewide restrictions that only apply to poultry from Rio Grande do Sul, where the one commercial outbreak occurred. Japan and United Arab Emirates are among nations with even narrower import bans, restricting only poultry products from the town of Montenegro. Brazil's first commercial outbreak hit a chicken breeding farm, where biosecurity rules are supposed to be stricter than on facilities where chickens are raised for meat, said Felipe Sousa, assistant professor at Sao Paulo University's school of agriculture. Security measures at breeding facilities require workers to shower before going in and use clean uniforms and shoes provided by employers. Brazilian farmers are also required to put up fences 5 meters away from chicken houses and one-inch mesh screening, commonly known as chicken wire, both around the walls and the property to keep stray or wild animals away from flocks, Sousa said. Many U.S. farms have similar precautions, except for the fencing and screening rules, said Ashley Peterson, a senior vice president at the U.S. National Chicken Council. U.S. chicken flocks are tested for bird flu before being slaughtered as part of a monitoring program, she added. Brazilian meat lobby ABPA and the government did not comment on pre-slaughter protocols. Clifford, who works with a U.S. poultry export association, said he expects more commercial outbreaks in Brazil with the virus present in wild waterfowl. "If they only have one, I would have a lot of curiosity about their surveillance program," he said. "They would be darn lucky." Officials recently confirmed backyard and wild species outbreaks in the center of Brazil, showing the virus is traveling inland. In response, Marcelo Mota, Brazil's chief veterinary officer, said the country will enforce new biosecurity guidance for zoos, parks and conservation sites. "We will be busy," he said.
Reuters
4 days ago
- Health
- Reuters
Geography helps shield Brazil from US-style bird flu epidemic, for now
SAO PAULO, June 18 (Reuters) - Brazil's vast and diverse geography, with the Amazon to the north, mountain ranges along the Atlantic coast and the Andes to its west, may have helped it avoid the U.S. fate of widespread bird flu among commercial poultry flocks by keeping migratory birds away from farms in the country's interior. Wednesday marks more than a month without a new bird flu case on a commercial poultry farm in Brazil, ending an observation period after its first such outbreak. The success brings hope to farmers that there will be no repeat of the persistent infections in the U.S., where the virus devastated the domestic egg industry and triggered lasting trade bans. There are doubts, however, whether the landscape can offer long-term protection. Bird flu has spread around the world, even reaching Antarctica for the first time in 2024, in a threat to poultry flocks, wild birds and mammals, including U.S. dairy cows. In Brazil, the Andes may delay the entrance of virulent new strains for two or three years, said Alex Jahn, researcher at Oregon State University's department of integrative biology. But Brazil will remain at risk for outbreaks as wild bird populations now infected with the virus circulate more widely. South American birds can migrate in all directions depending on rainfall, Jahn said, unlike the north-south seasonal migration over the United States. Those migratory flyways over the U.S. appear to be major vectors for contagion between wild birds and commercial poultry, said John Clifford, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's former chief veterinary officer. "If you look at the wild waterfowl patterns, that's probably the key," said Clifford. "We have four flyways coming in through the U.S." By contrast, the Amazon basin acts as a natural filter keeping wild birds away from Brazilian poultry, said Guillermo Zavala, a U.S.-based avian health consultant who has worked in the poultry industry for more than 30 years. The wild birds spreading the virus tend to spend time in nesting areas north of the equator, he said. Masaio Ishizuka, a senior epidemiologist at the Sao Paulo University, said evidence suggests migratory birds have now infected local Brazilian species, making the bird flu virus endemic in the world's largest chicken exporter, which accounts for 39% of global trade. Last month, Brazil's first outbreak on a commercial farm led to the culling of about 17,000 breeding chickens, producing birds raised for meat. Since then, meatpackers BRF ( opens new tab and JBS (JBS.N), opens new tab culled at least 141,000 healthy chickens preemptively. Brazil has detected 174 cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu, since 2023, mostly in waterfowl along the coast, according to government data. The United States has confirmed the virus in about 10 times as many commercial and backyard flocks since 2022, the USDA said. About 175 million U.S. chickens, turkeys and other birds have been culled. China has blocked poultry products from Brazil and most U.S. states due to outbreaks, and other nations also restricted shipments. Russia, Saudi Arabia and Mexico enforce statewide restrictions that only apply to poultry from Rio Grande do Sul, where the one commercial outbreak occurred. Japan and United Arab Emirates are among nations with even narrower import bans, restricting only poultry products from the town of Montenegro. Brazil's first commercial outbreak hit a chicken breeding farm, where biosecurity rules are supposed to be stricter than on facilities where chickens are raised for meat, said Felipe Sousa, assistant professor at Sao Paulo University's school of agriculture. Security measures at breeding facilities require workers to shower before going in and use clean uniforms and shoes provided by employers. Brazilian farmers are also required to put up fences 5 meters (16.4 feet) away from chicken houses and one-inch mesh screening, commonly known as chicken wire, both around the walls and the property to keep stray or wild animals away from flocks, Sousa said. Many U.S. farms have similar precautions, except for the fencing and screening rules, said Ashley Peterson, a senior vice president at the U.S. National Chicken Council. U.S. chicken flocks are tested for bird flu before being slaughtered as part of a monitoring program, she added. Brazilian meat lobby ABPA and the government did not comment on pre-slaughter protocols. Clifford, who works with a U.S. poultry export association, said he expects more commercial outbreaks in Brazil with the virus present in wild waterfowl. "If they only have one, I would have a lot of curiosity about their surveillance program," he said. "They would be darn lucky." Officials recently confirmed backyard and wild species outbreaks in the center of Brazil, showing the virus is traveling inland. In response, Marcelo Mota, Brazil's chief veterinary officer, said the country will enforce new biosecurity guidance for zoos, parks and conservation sites. "We will be busy," he said.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
This common nut can lower your risk of heart disease, dementia and diabetes
A handful of almonds each day could significantly reduce a condition that has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, and dementia, according to a new study in the journal Nutrition Research. Around one in three Americans are affected by metabolic syndrome, and evidence shows they are 'three times as likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke and twice as likely to die from coronary heart disease compared to people without this condition,' lead study author Emily Ho, director of the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, said in a statement released in the report. 'Poor diet and inactivity contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome, and gut health and chronic inflammation may also play roles,' she added. But swapping processed snacks for a handful of almonds – about 45 nuts – in your daily diet could help curb some of the most serious chronic health risks facing Americans today. In a 12-week clinical trial, researchers studied adults aged 35 to 60 who had been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. One group consumed 320 calories of almonds daily while the other group ate the same number of calories from crackers. Those who ate almonds experienced significant health improvements, including reductions in total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol, and waist circumference. Blood tests also showed increased levels of vitamin E, an antioxidant known to reduce inflammation and support heart, nerve, and muscle function. Participants in the almond group also saw lower levels of gut inflammation — a promising sign, as maintaining a healthy gut microbiome is increasingly recognized as vital to long-term health. 'In addition to vitamin E, almonds have polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, fiber, polyphenols, biotin, copper, potassium and magnesium,' said study co-author Laura Beaver, a research associate in the Oregon State College of Health. 'The changes in cholesterol levels we observed suggest a meaningful metabolic shift in those who consumed almonds daily.' The findings align with previous research highlighting the health benefits of almonds.
