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© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
D. K. Gupta, C. Walther (eds.), Uranium in Plants and the Environment,
Radionuclides and Heavy Metals in the Environment,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-14961-1_1
Uranium in the Beginning of the Nuclear
Age: Reflections on the Historical Role
of Jáchymov and an Overview of Early
and Present Epidemiological Studies
Jozef Sabol
Abstract Following its discovery, more than 200 years ago, uranium found useful
applications in a number of various areas especially those related to industry,
research and also medicine. The uranium history has been closely associated with
the discovery of radioactivity which opened the door to the separation and later to
the production of many useful radionuclides. The importance of uranium was recognized particularly owing to its ability to undergo fission process leading to the
release of much more energy than it is possible to acquire from chemical reactions.
Namely, the fission has been widely utilized in nuclear reactors to generate electricity in nuclear power plants. Such reactors are also used to produce a great number
of radionuclides and for fundamental and applied research. Unfortunately, the fission has also been used for military purpose that resulted later in the construction of
weapons of mass destruction. The extensive demand for uranium led to the expansion of uranium mining, milling and processing which led to some problems including exposure of workers and the radioactive contamination of the environment. The
health effects associated with uranium and its compounds were fully recognized
only during the last 70 years. This resulted in worldwide adoption of the relevant
strict measures for adequate protection of people and the environment in line with
the latest international safety requirements. The data concerning these health effects
were acquired from numerous epidemiological studies based on which relevant
safety procedures have been developed and implemented. The chapter presents a
short overview of the uranium’s early history, which began in Jáchymov, together
with uranium mining, uses and the assessment of its biological effects based on
epidemiological studies.
Keywords Uranium · Mining and milling · Radioactivity · Radium · Radon ·
Decay products · Fission · Use of uranium · Nuclear fuel cycle · Health effects ·
Epidemiological studies · Radiation protection
J. Sabol (*)
Faculty of Security Management, Department of Crisis Management, PACR in Prague,
Prague, Czech Republic
e-mail: sabol@polac.cz
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
D. K. Gupta, C. Walther (eds.), Uranium in Plants and the Environment,
Radionuclides and Heavy Metals in the Environment,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-14961-1_1
Uranium in the Beginning of the Nuclear
Age: Reflections on the Historical Role
of Jáchymov and an Overview of Early
and Present Epidemiological Studies
Jozef Sabol
Abstract Following its discovery, more than 200 years ago, uranium found useful
applications in a number of various areas especially those related to industry,
research and also medicine. The uranium history has been closely associated with
the discovery of radioactivity which opened the door to the separation and later to
the production of many useful radionuclides. The importance of uranium was recognized particularly owing to its ability to undergo fission process leading to the
release of much more energy than it is possible to acquire from chemical reactions.
Namely, the fission has been widely utilized in nuclear reactors to generate electricity in nuclear power plants. Such reactors are also used to produce a great number
of radionuclides and for fundamental and applied research. Unfortunately, the fission has also been used for military purpose that resulted later in the construction of
weapons of mass destruction. The extensive demand for uranium led to the expansion of uranium mining, milling and processing which led to some problems including exposure of workers and the radioactive contamination of the environment. The
health effects associated with uranium and its compounds were fully recognized
only during the last 70 years. This resulted in worldwide adoption of the relevant
strict measures for adequate protection of people and the environment in line with
the latest international safety requirements. The data concerning these health effects
were acquired from numerous epidemiological studies based on which relevant
safety procedures have been developed and implemented. The chapter presents a
short overview of the uranium’s early history, which began in Jáchymov, together
with uranium mining, uses and the assessment of its biological effects based on
epidemiological studies.
Keywords Uranium · Mining and milling · Radioactivity · Radium · Radon ·
Decay products · Fission · Use of uranium · Nuclear fuel cycle · Health effects ·
Epidemiological studies · Radiation protection
J. Sabol (*)
Faculty of Security Management, Department of Crisis Management, PACR in Prague,
Prague, Czech Republic
e-mail: sabol@polac.cz