Nuclear techniques help reduce toxicity, prevent health impact

On 18-19 September in Vienna (Austria), the IAEA will hold its annual Scientific Forum. The theme for this year is Nuclear Technology for Climate: Mitigation, Monitoring and Adaptation. One of the topics discussed will be addressing global change impacts on the marine environment by using nuclear techniques.

The geographical range and intensity of harmful algal blooms (HABs) have been increasing over the last decade, a change linked to global warming. An increasing number of countries are turning to nuclear science in order to identify and measure these blooms and the biotoxins they produce, and then — armed with the data — establish appropriate policies and countermeasures to control their impact more effectively.

Each year, HABs are responsible for the poisoning of thousands of people worldwide through the consumption of contaminated seafood and inhalation of toxins. “Faced with the apparent increase in frequency, geographical distribution and intensity of such blooms, addressing them on a global scale has become urgent,” said Marie-Yasmine Dechraoui Bottein, a research scientist at the IAEA Environment Laboratories in Monaco.

The IAEA is working with scientists from around the world to develop the capacity to accurately detect toxins in the environment and seafood so that they can implement countermeasures such as fishery closures and bans on eating seafood when there is an elevated risk of poisoning.

The IAEA will continue working with other United Nations agencies to address the emerging risks caused by HABs.

“A better assessment of risks associated with HABs will help reduce their impact on human health, the economy and society at large,” said Dechraoui Bottein. “This will contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.”

Original source: IAEA
Published on 12 September 2018