Q.Discuss the health hazards associated with exposure to radioactive waste and why its containment must be maintained for very long periods.

Radioactive pollutants most harmfully cause gene mutations, so the answer is (D).

Radioactive pollutants emit ionising radiation, which is highly damaging to living cells. Its most serious and long-lasting effect is on the genetic material: it induces mutations in DNA (gene mutations and chromosomal aberrations) that can lead to cancers and heritable defects passed to future generations. This is why radioactive contamination …

Nuclear electricity generation poses a risk to living organisms mainly through possible radioactive leaks/accidents and the difficulty of safely managing radioactive waste, both of which can cause radiation-induced harm.

While nuclear power plants generate electricity without directly emitting greenhouse gases, they carry the serious risk of radioactive contamination. Any accidental leakage or a major accident at a nuclear plant can release radioactive material into the environment, and this ionising radiation can damage the DNA of living cells, causing mutations, cancers (such as leukaemia and thyroid cancer) and other radiation sickness in exposed humans, animals and plants — problems that can also affect future generations through germline mutations. In addition, nuclear power generates highly radioactive waste that remains hazardous for very long …