CALIFORNIUM THAT WASN’T: HOW ‘RADIOACTIVE’ METAL KEPT BIHAR COPS ON EDGE

Why in the news?

On August 9, the police in the Gopalganj area of Bihar found what they thought to be Californium, a highly radioactive metal with an estimated value of ₹170 crore. Before it was discovered to be non-radioactive, the finding created a lot of agitation.

CALIFORNIUM THAT WASN'T: HOW ‘RADIOACTIVE’ METAL KEPT BIHAR COPS ON EDGE - UPSC

Details of the Incident

  • Overview of Californium: With an atomic number of 98, Californium (Cf) is a synthetic radioactive element. It was created for the first time at the University of California, Berkeley in 1950. Calium is utilized as a neutron source, in nuclear reactors, and in neutron radiography. It is among the most costly compounds on the planet; a gram of it is estimated to be worth $27 million (₹200 crore).
  • Discovery and Seizures: A material thought to be Californium weighing 340 grams was found by the Gopalganj police. The item was enclosed in a carbon paper packaging with a purported IIT Madras certificate.
  • Verification: The substance was determined to be non-radioactive and not Californianium by a three-person team from the Department of Atomic Energy and the Bhaba Atomic Research Centre (BARC).
About BARC

  • It is the top nuclear research center in India.
  • The company’s HQ is in Mumbai.
  • It is directly supervised by the Indian Prime Minister and is run by the Department of Atomic Energy.
  • With a vast infrastructure for cutting-edge research and development across the whole spectrum of nuclear physics, engineering, and allied fields, it is a multidisciplinary research center.
  • The Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL), which currently oversees all nuclear power reactors in India, relies heavily on BARC for its research.”

History: 

  • India’s nuclear program was conceived by Dr. Homi Jehangir Bhabha.
  • In order to do research in nuclear science, Dr. Bhabha founded the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) in 1945.
  • Dr. Bhabha founded the Atomic Energy Establishment, Trombay (AEET) in January 1954 for a multidisciplinary research program crucial to India’s ambitious nuclear program in order to step up efforts to harness nuclear energy for the country’s benefit.

AEET was renamed BARC following Bhabha’s passing in 1966.

Functions:

  • It conducts research in frontier fields of science and technology, industry, health, and agriculture, with the goal of producing knowledge and techniques for the production of nuclear power. It also advances nuclear science.
  • It is in charge of developing fuel cycle technologies, safety systems, radiation protection, and nuclear reactor design and development.
  • Additionally, BARC is crucial to nuclear training and education.