Assignment

1. Which of the following statements is INCORRECT regarding cyclonite?
Cyclonite is sometimes encountered as Composition C-4, in which it is mixed with a gummy binder and hand-molded into a puttylike shape for use as a plastic explosive.
Cyclonite can be desensitized by mixing it with beeswax.
Cyclonite is prepared from hexamethylenetetramine, sulfuric acid, ammonium nitrate, and acetic anhydride.
Cyclonite is a possible human carcinogen.

2. Mercury fulminate is synonymous with:
a commercial name for the explosive whose chemical name is cyclotrimethylene-trinitramine, or hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine.
a commercial explosive whose proper chemical name is N-methyl-N-2,4,6-tetranitroaniline.
a secondary high explosive whose proper chemical name is cyclotetramethylenetetra-nitramine.
the primary explosive mercury(II) cyanate, a substance whose chemical formula is Hg(CNO)2.

3. Which of the following statements is INCORRECT regarding regulatory agencies that have some responsibilities in minimizing risks associated with radioactive materials in the United States?
OSHA establishes radiation exposure limits to protect public health.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency establishes radiation exposure levels to protect public health.
The U.S. Department of Energy oversees the construction and operation of nuclear waste disposal sites.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulates the private nuclear energy industry.

4. Which of the following statements is INCORRECT regarding a radiological dirty bomb?
The detonation of a radiological dirty bomb will not increase the background radiation to which the entire human population is exposed for a substantial time.
The detonation of a radiological dirty bomb could not produce the immediate mass casualties that are associated with the detonation of nuclear weapons.
The radiological dirty bomb can be detonated with the use of a timer or a cell phone.
The radiological dirty bomb may be charged with a biological or chemical warfare agent.

5. When emergency responders suspect that a package may contain an explosive, which of these actions should they NOT do?
Try to identify the material first and call for backup.
Use robotic means to transfer the material into a total-containment device.
Take the material to an isolated location where it can be further examined or destroyed.
Let only specially-trained personnel handle the material
The best means of personal protection from radiation for emergency responders is the implementation of three basic principles: time, distance, and shielding. Using the Inverse Square Law of radiation, what Geiger counter reading would you get for a radioactive material when you are four feet from the source (assume an initial reading of 6300 R at a distance of 1 foot from the source)? __________ R.
1) __________ is a method used to compare the relative effectiveness of different explosives to accomplish a specific task. The detonation of 2.0 kg of tetryl has the same explosive power as 2) __________ pounds of TNT.

6. During the winter months, when the exchange of indoor and outdoor air is limited, 0.00002 mCi of radon is identified on average in each liter of air within a home. What is the World Health Organization's (WHO) action guideline in pCi/L for protection against acquiring cancer from exposure to radon? 1) __________ Does this concentration exceed the WHO's action guideline? 2) __________. What are the products formed when nitroglycerin undergoes hydrolysis? 1) __________ and 2) __________. Selenium-75 is used in medicine to assist in diagnosing pancreatic cancer and decays solely by electron capture. The product of its decay is __________. The permissible exposure limit (PEL) over an 8-hr workday for trinitrotoluene and nitroglycerin are 1) __________ mg/m3 and 2) __________ mg/m3, respectively. Which of these explosives is more toxic? 3) __________. When washed into a drain, an azide could react with the lead in the piping to form lead azide. Because the detonation of lead azide is likely to destroy a major portion of a sewer system, an azide should not be discharged into a drain. Waste lead azide exhibits the RCRA characteristic of 1) __________. Its treatment, storage, and disposal are regulated by what agency? 2) __________. Develop an answer to each of the following explosive related questions, using at least 200 words total for parts a and b.

a. The DOT regulation at 49 C.F.R. §177.835(a) requires shippers and carriers to load and unload explosives from a motor vehicle only when the engine is not operating. What is the most likely reason DOT prohibits operation of the vehicle's engine during these processes?

b. During an inspection of an abandoned site, a fire marshal discovers the presence of several dynamite sticks within a locked shed attached to a warehouse. Although some sticks are packed within a wooden box, others are lying on shelves. On checking the city's records, the fire marshal discovers that the building was abandoned 22 years earlier. What immediate actions should the marshal take to protect public health, safety, and the environment? Aside from the explosive nature, discuss the health effects associated with its component nitroglycerin. Discuss the nuclear reactions within the reactor of a nuclear power plant? Contrast the Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima Da-Ichi incidents with respect to the cause of the incident and radiation levels measured after the incident.

Your response must be at least 200 words in length.