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Reimagining nuclear materials for the future of medicine
Nuclear medicine has come a long way since Henri Becquerel first observed the penetrating energy of radioactive materials in 1896. Today, technetium-99m alone is used in more than 40 million diagnostic procedures every year—from cardiovascular imaging and bone scans to cancer detection—making it the undisputed workhorse of nuclear medicine. That single statistic tells you something important: An enormous portion of modern diagnostic medicine rests on a surprisingly narrow foundation, one built around a small number of aging research reactors that were never originally designed for continuous isotope production.
H. Mazhar, C. Azih, R. David (CNL)
Proceedings | 2018 International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants (ICAPP 2018) | Charlotte, NC, April 8-11, 2018 | Pages 849-858
Nuclear power generation contributes over 50% electricity generation in Ontario and approximately 16% in Canada. Nuclear power is a reliable and clean energy generation technology. Although the amount of GreenHouse Gas (GHG) emissions from the nuclear power generation cycle is not insignificant, it is demonstrated to be much lower than that of fossil fuel energy systems. The GHG level depends on the entire cycle of the nuclear fuel which differs depending on the type of reactor and fuel used. There are several methodologies used in the literature to perform a complete nuclear life cycle assessment (LCA). Significant variations were reported due to the differences in the utilized analysis methods, different contributing phases in the life cycle, as well as the primary energy mix supplying the individual processes. The current study utilizes the process analysis method to perform a life cycle assessment of the Canadian nuclear fuel cycle and the environmental impact based on GHG emissions. The study utilizes the most up-to-date information on the energy mix, and processing methods for each phase of the cycle. This will help establish a fair comparison and to aid policy makers in deciding the future of the energy generating mix in Canada.