Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
5 Medical Considerations for
Radiological Terrorism
JAMES WINKLEY AND PAUL D. MONGAN
Currently there are three threat scenarios for
radiological terrorism. The most probable scenario
for the near future would be a radiological
dispersion device. Such a weapon can be devel-
oped and used by any terrorist with conventional
weapons and access to radionuclides. This is an
expedient weapon, in that radioactive waste mate-
rial is relatively easy to obtain from any location
that uses radioactive sources. These sites could be
a nuclear waste processor, a nuclear power plant, a
university research facility, a medical radiotherapy
clinic, or an industrial complex. The radioac-
tive source is disseminated by using conventional
explosives and the debris is subsequently is scat-
tered across the targeted area. In 1996, Islamic
rebels from Chechnya planted, but did not deto-
nate a device packed with Cesium 137, one of
the most highly radioactive by-products of nuclear
fission, in a Moscow park. Depending on the size
of the explosive and the surrounding population
density, the medical effects of the explosion could
have produced a significant number of deaths,
while many thousands would have suffered from
radiation exposure.
A terrorist attack could also be made on a
nuclear power plant using a commercial jet, heavy
munitions or internal sabotage. This type of attack
would have a similar effect to a radiological bomb
and could cause far greater casualties. If such an
attack were to cause either a meltdown of the
reactor core or a dispersal of the spent fuel waste,
extensive casualties could be expected. To date,
the significant medical effects of the radiological
accident at Chernobyl is the model for this type of
Disclaimer
All statements and opinions are the author's,
and are not official positions or policies of the
Uniformed Services University, the Department of
Defense, or the US federal government.
5.1 Introduction
Since September 11, U.S. intelligence agencies
have issued alerts that Islamic terrorists continue
to plan for further terror attacks. U.S. intelligence
agencies have uncovered plans of U.S. nuclear
power plants at terrorist bases in Afghanistan.
There is also evidence of plans designed to cause
mass casualties and spread deadly radiological
debris by a bombing or airline attack on a U.S.
nuclear power plant or one of the Energy Depart-
ment's nuclear facilities. This type of attack,
known as radiological warfare (RW) is the delib-
erate use of radiological materials to produce injury
and death. The explosion of a radiological weapon,
similar to that of an ordinary bomb, causes damage
by the heat and blast liberated at the time of
detonation. While such attacks have not occurred,
many experts agree that it is a matter of “when”
and not “if” such an event will occur. Unfortu-
nately, the proliferation of nuclear material and
technology has made the acquisition and terrorist
use of ionizing radiation more probable than ever.
Fortunately, the treatment of most radiation casu-
alties is both effective and practical to decrease the
morbidity and mortality from the use of nuclear
and radiological weapons.
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