IMPACT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE ON MARINE AND LAND SPECIES
Impact of Radioactive Waste on Marine and Land Species is Pritvik’s second book. This book delves in detail Pritvik’s research on impact of radioactive waste, including radioactive mutations, and the uses of freshwater green algae in removing Strontium 90 from radioactive wastewater. The book tells us how freshwater green algae can clean up and recycle radioactive waste and thereby help determine a long-term disposal of the spent nuclear fuel. Expected in October 2015, Pritvik’s Impact of Radioactive Waste on Marine and Land Species is in the light of the four nuclear power plants that are coming up in Abu Dhabi.
According to Pritvik, “Evolution first started out as bacteria — the leap from one-celled organisms to many-celled organisms — a development that eventually led to all animals, including humans. In its 4.6 billion years, the Earth has harboured a diversity of life forms and the fascinating world of prehistoric life actually helps us understand the true process of evolution in times to come. As my interest in palaeontology grew, so did my understanding of evolution and resultant mutations of creatures that are subjected to radioactivity and nuclear waste. This led me to research on how the primary source of radioactive waste is from human activities such as the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, radioactive fallouts at nuclear power plant accidents like the Chernobyl, Fukushima, etc, nuclear testing and improper disposal of nuclear, radioactive and hazardous waste.”
Pritvik says, “Research on prehistoric mass extinctions and human-made nuclear disasters has proved that uncontrolled radioactivity and nuclear or radioactive waste can hurt marine and land species in several ways — by killing them outright, or critically altering the genetics of these species thereby creating irreparable bizarre mutations in their offspring or worse, passing radioactive material up the food chain. The worst effect of radioactive and nuclear waste is when animals eat irradiated plants and smaller, radioactive animals. It is then that radiation moves up the food chain.”
While Pritvik believes that all available forms of energy will be needed to meet future demand and that each country must enforce suitable means to deliver safe, reliable and feasible electricity to power economic growth, the authorities and the scientific community must first determine a long-term disposal of the spent nuclear fuel before the final onset of the Abu Dhabi nuclear power plants in 2020.
“This is what I am researching on and this is what my book Radioactive Waste on Marine and Land Species is all about. I want a different solution rather than sending spent fuel abroad for recycling or disposal. My studies have shown that the uses of green algae are boundless. In fact, scientists have already found that freshwater algae can remove Strontium 90 from radioactive wastewater. This development can even aid future efforts to clean up radioactive waste at the Fukushima Daichi Plant.”
However, he also adds, “The best solution to the demonic, devastating and all-pervading radiation might be to build a fusion reactor instead of a fission one, or better still, make matter shake hands with anti-matter. With no matter, no anti-matter, only energy will remain. But, this may cause gigantic explosions and hence might need to be controlled.”
Pritvik has reiterated in different conferences and seminars that the world needs to quickly resolve the nuclear waste issue because, he feels, “It wouldn’t be morally right to leave it for our future generations and the ones who have started the mess should also finish it. On top of so many environmental problems the last thing this world needs right now is to worry about the safety of nuclear waste disposal.” Hence, his research on the green algae is for cleaning up nuclear waste.