Plants and Nuclear Waste: Friends or Foes? Investigating Uranium Accumulation in Flora
| Dates: | 22 April 2025 |
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| Times: | 12:30 - 13:30 |
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| What is it: | Webinar |
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| Organiser: | School of Natural Sciences |
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| Who is it for: | University staff, External researchers, Adults, Alumni, Current University students, General public |
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| Speaker: | Dr Andrew Lowe, Dr Jon Pittman |
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World Earth Day 2025 explores Our Power, Our Planet. As the world seeks cleaner energy options, nuclear power is gaining attention although the process of mining and using uranium poses significant environmental risks.
Radioactive fuel materials like uranium are essential to nuclear energy production, which is of increasing interest as a decarbonised energy option. However, during the mining and processing of uranium, and during nuclear reactions, harmful wastes are produced. Because of the toxicity and long half-life of most nuclear waste materials, it is important to avoid environmental contamination as much as possible. The accumulation of materials like uranium into plants and fungi from contaminated soil and water provides a route for wider transfer into ecosystems and into food chains. But plants may also provide an option for removing nuclear waste.
As momentum continues to build in the search for sustainable energy solutions, join Dr Jon Pittman for an insightful masterclass on how studying plant-radioactive material interactions can enhance our understanding of the challenges and opportunities it creates.
Speakers
Dr Andrew Lowe
Role: Course Director, MSc Pollution and Environmental Control (Online)
Organisation: The University of Manchester
Dr Jon Pittman
Role: Senior Lecturer, Department of Earth and Environmental Science
Organisation: The University of Manchester
Travel and Contact Information
