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Can Using Thorium Instead of Uranium Make Nuclear Energy Safer?

Thorium, a naturally occurring radioactive element found in abundance in the Earth’s crust all around the world, might well be a better fuel source than uranium for nuclear power generation for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, just one ton of the silvery metal can produce as much energy as 200 tons of uranium or 3.5 millions tons of coal, according to Nobel laureate Carlo Rubbia of the European Organization for Nuclear Research. Another advantage is that it comes out of the ground as a 100 percent pure, usable isotope. Unlike uranium, which contains only 0.7 percent fissionable material, thorium doesn’t require enrichment to be used in nuclear reactors. Also, the spent-fuel waste from…

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 The Thorium Dream

The idea of building small, thorium-based nuclear reactors – thought to be dramatically safer, cheaper, cleaner and terror-proof than our current catalog of reactors – can be shooed away as fringe by some. But the germ of the idea began with some of the country’s greatest scientists, in the U.S. government’s major atomic lab, at Oak Ridge, Tennessee, in the 1960s. And then it was left by the wayside as the American nuclear industry plowed ahead with its development of the light water reactors and the uranium fuel cycle. It’s only in the past half-decade that the idea has picked up steam again on the Internet, thanks to enterprising enthusiasts who have chronicled the early experiments, distributed documents, and posted YouTube videos.

 Thorium in Energy and Ecology: Prospects for Clean Fuel Sources and Protection of Water and Soil Systems from Radiation Risks

Thorium occupies a unique position in the global energy agenda, being simultaneously considered a promising nuclear fuel and an ecological risk factor. Its fuel cycle (Th-232 → U-233) offers significant advantages over uranium, including reduced waste, improved resistance to burnup, and lower proliferation risks, while molten salt reactor designs demonstrate potential to reduce electricity costs and consume transuranic elements from spent nuclear fuel. At the same time, the geochemical mobility of Th4+ ions, prone to forming soluble and colloidal species, increases the likelihood of their migration into soils and waters, with subsequent accumulation in biota and induction of radiotoxic effects.

 Thorium is no silver bullet when it comes to nuclear energy, but it could play a role

As the world grapples with the competing imperatives of the tragic fallout from the Fukushima meltdown, and the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, some are turning to new forms of nuclear power to meet our energy needs. One of the posited solutions to this crisis is the use of thorium, rather than uranium, as a fuel for nuclear reactors. But can thorium make nuclear power more politically palatable? And how does it differ from uranium?

Articles of Interest

Benefits of thorium as alternative nuclear fuel are 'overstated'

A report on thorium's potential says the UK should continue to research the technology but downplays proponents' claims

Don't believe the spin on thorium being a greener nuclear option

It produces less radioactive waste and more power but it remains unproven on a commercial scale.

Element of the week: thorium

This week, we meet thorium, a chemical element with the symbol Th and atomic number 90. This element is a bit unusual since it is the first element we've met that was named for a character in Norse mythology: it was named in honour of the Norse god of thunder (and war), Thor.

Energy from Thorium

Thorium is the key to creating life-saving medicines to fight cancer and producing clean, efficient, reliable, and sustainable energy

Health and Safety Aspects of Thorium Production

Prior to 1945, industrial interest in thorium was confined almost entirely to its use in the manufacture of gas mantles. Consequently, there was little interest in the health and safety of thorium operations, and little published information about the hazards of its use in industry. But with the advent of the atomic age, attention focused on thorium as a possible source of nuclear energy. As a result, interest increased greatly in the toxicity of thorium and the inherent radiological hazard in processing thorium materials.

Health effects and toxicity mechanism of thorium: Knowledge gaps and research prospects

Thorium, a ubiquitous naturally occurring radioactive element in the Earth's crust, ultimately undergoes alpha emission decay and transforms into stable lead via a succession of transient daughter products. Thorium's versatility spans industries, serving as atomic fuel, integrating into manufacturing, and aiding medical diagnostics. However, alongside its utility, thorium poses significant environmental and health challenges. Concerns arise due to its potential contamination of air, soil, and water sources, presenting risks to both ecosystems and human populations.

Is Thorium A Magic Bullet For Our Energy Problems?

As the search for cheap, safe and non-carbon emitting sources of energy continues, a band of scientists say the answer may be nuclear reactors fueled by thorium. Others caution that thorium reactors pose waste and proliferation risks. Ira Flatow and guests discuss the pros and cons of thorium reactors.

Is Thorium Dangerous? - Science Through Time

In this informative video, we will provide an overview of thorium, a naturally occurring radioactive element with a rich history that dates back to its discovery in the 19th century. We will discuss thorium's chemical properties and its transition into the realm of radioactivity, highlighting its role in the broader context of nuclear science.

New Nukes: Thorium Power and the Nuclear Renaissance

Is it time again to think about thorium as an answer to the nuclear industry's problems? Ever since the 1950s, thorium has played second fiddle to uranium as a nuclear fuel, partly as a consequence of the early marriage between civilian and military nuclear programs. Boy, it is more abundantLately, though, interest in thorium is growing by leaps and bounds, primarily because it could address three of the biggest problems plaguing the nuclear industry's long-awaited renaissance.

Thorium and health: state of the art

Thorium is a natural radioactive element of the actinide series. It is widely distributed in the earth's crust and 99% is found as isotope thorium-232. Its various uses are explained by its chemical, physical, and nuclear properties. As a potential nuclear fuel, thorium is still in demonstration in pilot scale reactors. But thorium has already multiple and sometimes unknown industrial uses. Some mass market products are concerned like light bulb.

Thorium can give humanity clean, pollution free energy

Kirk Sorensen stumbled across thorium while doing research on how to power a lunar community. Thorium is a cleaner, safer, and more abundant nuclear fuel—one that Kirk believes will revolutionize how we produce our energy.

Thoughts from a thorium ‘symposium’

The idea is that thorium-based nuclear energy (it is nuclear) would have all the advantages of a uranium-based system – producing large-scale electricity with low emissions – without any of the disadvantages, real and imagined. Of course, life is a little more complicated than that, otherwise we would have thorium based systems already. In fact, thorium technology in various guises has been around since the start of the nuclear age. But the threat of climate change has thrown the technological challenges facing all energy production into sharp relief.

Toxicological Profile for Thorium

The most likely sources of exposure of the general population to thorium are from inhalation of air and ingestion of food and drinking water containing thorium. Workers are exposed to higher levels of thorium and other radionuclides in certain thorium industries, as indicated by the measured exhaled breath and tissue levels of these chemicals. However, concentrations of thorium in air, food, and/or drinking water are normally very low and thorium-containing substances are not generally readily absorbed by the body.

Uranium and thorium

Uranium and thorium are both silvery white-grey radioactive metals that corrode to black oxide in air. They are both malleable (can be pressed into shape) and ductile (can be beaten and drawn into a wire) and are very reactive and so cannot be found in the environment in their elemental forms. Thorium is much more abundant than uranium in rocks from the Earth's crust; it is found in small amounts in most rocks and soils.

What's Thorium?

Thorium is a naturally occurring radioactive element found in rocks, soil, and water. It's named after Thor, the Norse god of thunder, due to its unique properties. In small amounts, thorium is present in the environment and can enter our bodies through the food we eat, the water we drink, or the air we breathe. Scientists and doctors use thorium in various applications, such as medical imaging and cancer treatments, due to its ability to emit radiation. In these controlled settings, thorium can help provide valuable insights into our health and well-being. Overall, thorium is an interesting element that plays a small but significant role in both our environment and healthcare.

Resources

National Cancer Institute

Thorium is a naturally occurring radioactive metal that is found in soil, rock, and water. It is formed by the radioactive decay of uranium. Minerals such as monazite, thorite, and thorianite are rich in thorium and may be mined for the metal. Thorium has coloring properties that have made it useful in ceramic glazes. Thorium also has been widely used in lantern mantles for the brightness it imparts (though alternatives are replacing it), and in welding rods, which burn better with small amounts of added thorium. Until the 1950s, thorium dioxide was used as a contrast agent (called Thorotrast) in medical radiology.