Goiânia accident

The Goiânia accident occurred in 1987, when in the Brazilian city of Goiânia radioactive material - it was about 93 g of highly radioactive cesium chloride, consisting of the Caesiumisotop 137Cs - was stolen and distributed by the thieves among friends and acquaintances. Hundreds of people were seriously radioactively contaminated in some cases, as a result died within a few weeks demonstrably at least four people, more deaths are associated with the accident. Parts of the city are radioactively contaminated to this day. The accident was classified on the International Nuclear Event Scale Rating (INES ) at level 5 (of 7).

The scrap collectors

Two garbage collectors, Wagner Pereira and Roberto Alves, invaded on September 13, 1987 in the ruins of the Instituto de Goiano radioterapia and stolen there with a wheelbarrow parts of a disused radiotherapy apparatus, because they kept the metal for valuable. They reduced the radiation head partially in Alves ' backyard and thereby damaged the capsule of the radiation source. She suffered burns caused by gamma and beta rays. Since they were not in a position to continue to disassemble the unit, they sold it to the scrap dealer Devair Alves Ferreira.

The opening of the container

When disassembling the device, the scrap dealer opened the lead container with the radioactive cesium -137, so that it could escape from the device. The in the darkness by Cherenkov radiation blue glowing weak, highly radioactive cesium chloride was fascinated by the scrap dealer, so he took it home and passed it on to family members and acquaintances. The scrap dealer wanted his wife out of the blue luminous material finished a bracelet. Since the normal cesium chloride sodium chloride (table salt) is very similar and is very soluble in water, it easily adheres to your body or clothing and simplifies distribution.

On September 25, Ferreira sold the container to another scrap dealer on.

Spread of contamination

The wife of the scrap dealer ( Gabriela Maria Ferreira ) noted concomitant disease of many friends at first, but brought them back to a common beverage. Many sufferers first went to pharmacies, then to family doctors and most recently in hospitals. However, the consulted doctors thought the symptoms of a new disease.

Determination of radioactivity and Countermeasures

On September 28, Gabriela Maria Ferreira suspected the container to cause the disease, and took him to a hospital. The doctor there suspected correctly radioactivity and brought the container outside the hospital, on a chair in the garden. Maria Gabriela Ferreira had the container ( escaped from the 90% of the radioactive substance were ) transported in a plastic bag on the bus and not opened him in the hospital, which saved the lives of many people. The radiation dose in the bus was not hazardous to health. According to the IAEA report leaked about 44 TBq.

On September 29, it was found that contamination by the specialist Walter Mendes Ferreira using a scintillation counter of the national Atomic Energy Agency NUCLEBRAS. The official emergency program began from that date. The government was later accused of a time long covered up the accident and to have the civilian population deprived of alarming data.

In the meantime, many people were already exposed to the sometimes high doses of radiation. Four people died as a result of irradiation, 28 suffered radiation- induced skin burns.

Evacuation

In the days that followed were all the inhabitants and their environment conducted contamination measurements. 112,800 persons were examined, 249 were identified as contaminated. It was found that the radioactive material had been abducted several residential districts, whole streets and squares were contaminated. Evacuated people were taken to the Olympic stadium in the city, where a makeshift tent camp was set up.

A total of 85 houses were contaminated. About 200 people had to be evacuated from 41 heavily contaminated houses. To decontaminate seven buildings had to be completely demolished. In the gardens and in public parks partly had to be removed the top layer of soil.

Injury

Injuries and deaths

Damage to Goiânia

Despite the enormous effort that has been operated for the decontamination, increased radiation dose values ​​are still measured in some of the originally affected streets and squares. The accident had therefore for the city and region of Goiânia and economically serious consequences.

• 85 contaminated houses, of which 41 evacuated and demolished seven
• It 3500 m³ radioactively contaminated waste were produced. This should be stored safely in containers 14 180 years ( half-life of 137Cs: 30.17 years ). For the Parque Estadual Telma Ortegal was built.
• All content of the demolished houses was examined for contamination and confirmed contamination cleaned ( and great personal value) and returned to reduce the psychological damage.
• All contaminated houses were cleaned using special vacuum cleaners. Roofs, walls and ceilings were scraped and repainted, two roofs had to be completely replaced.

Terms of Use

The three doctors who owned the abandoned hospital, were accused of gross negligence. Since then, inventory lists are mandatory.