Chernobyl radioactive particles found to be unexpectedly stable

Researchers from Leibniz University Hannover and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf have discovered that microscopic fragments of nuclear fuel from the Chernobyl disaster remain remarkably stable four decades later.

By analyzing six highly radioactive “hot particles” collected from the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in Ukraine using synchrotron X-ray diffraction, scientists found that the internal crystalline structures of the particles have changed far less than previously expected. These particles, measuring between 8 and 50 micrometres, were released during the 1986 reactor explosion and continue to hold concentrated radioactive substances.

The findings, published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, suggest these fragments are more chemically stable than assumed. This discovery may allow for more precise assessments of the long-term health risks and environmental behavior of radioactive contamination in soil.