What Are the Potential Dangers of Nuclear Melt and Its After Effects?

[sandon]

Are there any other measurable danger other than the following


Short term (short half life)

I -131
Do not react with air
Forms aqueous solution with water


Long term (long half life)

Cs -137
Forms cesium oxide with air, can be carried away by air
Forms aqueous solution with water

Sr - 90
Forms strontium oxide with air, can carried away by air
Forms strontium nitride with air, can carried away by air
Forms aqueous solution with water


Not sure if there are any other major concerns

 

[nikkkom]

According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fission_product_yield
there a few more significant isotopes

Sr-89 - half-life 50d
Cs-134 - 2 years
Pm-147 - 2.6 years (how volatile is it?)
Sm-151 - 90 years (how volatile is it?)
Kr-85 - 10 years (as a noble gas, it disperses quickly, doesn't stay in soils or living tissue)

 

[Astronuc]

Pm and Sm would preferentially form oxides, as do the other rare Earth's.

Cs is volatile, as is I, and Sr, is somewhat volatile and soluble.

Kr-85 is a gas, so it could more readily escape containment.The key is yield and half-life. The OP states the 3 key radionuclides since they are persistent in the environment.

See also - http://pbadupws.nrc.gov/docs/ML0410/ML041040063.pdf