Re: Bacteria in Nuclear Reactors

[Steven.Rima@DOEGJPO.COM (Steven Rima)]

     Ron,
     
     From the exact quote you gave, it seems to me that they are saying 
     that bacteria COULD survive the radiation given off BY THE WATER, and 
     not the reactor. From my power plant days, I doubt that bacteria could 
     survive in reactor coolant due mainly to high temperature and 
     pressure, not due to radiation. The radiation level from the coolant 
     itself is pretty low, and is certainly survivable by most bacteria. 
     (Some bacteria have adapted to survive in very high temperature water, 
     as evidenced by the high levels of some types of bacteria in very hot 
     springs at Yellowstone National Park, so maybe the high temperature 
     won't prevent it either.)
     
     I can't remember any bacterial analyses or issues/concerns at any of 
     the nuc. plants I worked at. Maybe some bacteria were there and we 
     didn't know or care? Maybe someone else can answer that question...
     
     Steven D. Rima, CHP
     Manager, Health Physics and Industrial Hygiene
     MACTEC-ERS, LLC
     steven.rima@doegjpo.com


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Bacteria in Nuclear Reactors
Author:  Ronald Morgan <rgmorgan@lanl.gov> at Internet
Date:    5/11/98 1:58 PM


Hi folks,
In the May/June issue of The Planetary Report (a publication for the 
members of the Planetary Society, a space-exploration advocacy group which 
is not noticeably [so far] an anti-nuc group.  See their web site at 
http://www.planetary.org), Christopher Chyba said (in part) "bacteria have 
adapted to survive the levels of radiation common in the cooling water of 
nuclear reactors."
     
I'd be a bit surprised to learn that bacteria could survive in the primary 
or secondary loops of a power reactor...but there's a bunch of other 
possibilities.  Does anyone know anything about bacteria in reactor cooling 
water?
Thanx, ron
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       Ron Morgan <rgmorgan@lanl.gov>
       Operational Health Physics (ESH-1)
       Los Alamos National Laboratory
       MS E-503, Los Alamos New Mexico, 87545 (USA) 
       Phone (505) 665-7843
       Fax   (505) 667-1009
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