In March 1984, a serious radiation accident occurred in Morocco, at the Mohammedia nuclear power plant, where eight people died from
pulmonary hemorrhaging caused by overexposure to
radiation from a lost
iridium-192
There are two natural isotopes of iridium (77Ir), and 34 radioisotopes, the most stable radioisotope being 192Ir with a half-life of 73.83 days, and many nuclear isomers, the most stable of which is 192m2Ir with a half-life of 241 years. All othe ...
source. Other individuals also received significant overdoses of radiation that required medical attention. Three people were sent to the
Curie Institute in Paris for treatment of radiation poisoning.
The
source
Source may refer to:
Research
* Historical document
* Historical source
* Source (intelligence) or sub source, typically a confidential provider of non open-source intelligence
* Source (journalism), a person, publication, publishing institute o ...
was used to
radiograph
Radiography is an imaging technique using X-rays, gamma rays, or similar ionizing radiation and non-ionizing radiation to view the internal form of an object. Applications of radiography include medical radiography ("diagnostic" and "therapeut ...
welds and became separated from its
shielded container. As the source, an iridium pellet, itself had no markings indicating it was radioactive, a worker took it home, where it stayed for some weeks, exposing the family to radiation. The laborer, his family, and some relatives were the eight deaths caused by the accident.
See also
*
Nuclear and radiation accidents
A nuclear and radiation accident is defined by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as "an event that has led to significant consequences to people, the environment or the facility. Examples include lethal effects to individuals, lar ...
*
Goiânia accident
The Goiânia accident was a radioactive contamination accident that occurred on September 13, 1987, in Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil, after a forgotten radiotherapy source was stolen from an abandoned hospital site in the city. It was subsequentl ...
*
Radiotherapy accident in Costa Rica
The radiotherapy accident in Costa Rica occurred with the Alcyon II radiotherapy unit at San Juan de Dios Hospital in San José, Costa Rica. It was related to a cobalt-60 source that was being used for radiotherapy in 1996. An accidental overexpo ...
*
Radiotherapy accident in Zaragoza
The 1990 Clinic of Zaragoza radiotherapy accident was a radiological accident that occurred from 10 to 20 December 1990, at the Clinic of Zaragoza, in Aragon, Spain.
In the accident, at least 27 patients were injured, and 11 of them died due to ...
References
External links
*
Description of the incident in Johnston's Archive
Man-made disasters in Morocco
1984 industrial disasters
Morocco
Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria t ...
1984 in Morocco
March 1984 events in Africa
1984 disasters in Morocco
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