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Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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The RAIN scale: A good intention that falls short
Radiation protection specialists agree that clear communication of radiation risks remains a vexing challenge that cannot be solved solely by finding new ways to convey technical information.
Earlier this year, an article in Nuclear News described a new radiation risk communication tool, known as the Radiation Index, or, RAIN (“Let it RAIN: A new approach to radiation communication,” NN, Jan. 2025, p. 36). The authors of the article created the RAIN scale to improve radiation risk communication to the general public who are not well-versed in important aspects of radiation exposures, including radiation dose quantities, units, and values; associated health consequences; and the benefits derived from radiation exposures.
Sajid Iqbal, Muhmood ul Hassan, Ho Jin Ryu, Jong-Il Yun (KAIST)
Proceedings | 2018 International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants (ICAPP 2018) | Charlotte, NC, April 8-11, 2018 | Pages 623-627
We have investigated the low temperature sintering behavior of pure hydroxyapatite (HA) and silica incorporated HA for the immobilizing radioactive nuclear waste. Solid state sintering conditions were optimized at 200 ?C by applying a uniaxial pressure of 400 MPa for a short holding time (10 min). The results from high resolution x-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy, micro hardness, and high resolution scanning electron microscopy confirmed the densification with enhanced mechanical properties. The increasing trend in relative sintered density has been observed with the loading amount of silica. No additional chemicals and binders were used during whole experimentation process. Therefore, this sintering route is totally environment benign, energy efficient and simplified. The ultra-low temperature can makes this sintering process widely useful for the immobilization of volatile radionuclides such as Cs-137 and I-129.