Nuclear Technology Spawns New Medicine, New Food, New Housing

This year marks the 40th anniversary of China's membership in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Over the past 40 years, China has continuously fostered an open and inclusive environment for international cooperation, collaborating with global peers to advance nuclear technology innovation, allowing the results of nuclear technology innovation to better benefit human society. Recently, Hong Kong Wenhui Daily reporters, following Ms. Sophie De Rakambé, Director of the IAEA Public Information and Communication Office, visited reputable institutions like CNNC Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant—a site of national pride—and China Isotope & Radiation Corporation to gain a deep understanding of the latest developments in China's nuclear technology and related industries, experiencing how nuclear technology enhances people's standards in healthcare, food, and housing, bringing about the 'nuclear benefits'. ●Hong Kong Wenhui Daily Reporter Liu Ningzhe reports from Zhejiang

How can an ordinary bottle of Erguotou, priced at 10 yuan, quickly become as fragrant and mellow as a decade-old aged liquor? Nuclear technology provides the best answer—by using radiation methods to treat the raw liquor, a few days later, when tasting, the liquor's aroma, mellowness, and aftertaste will significantly improve, and the unpleasant odor will greatly reduce.

It is known that China has been using distillation methods to make liquor since the Tang and Song dynasties. Freshly made liquor initially has an unpleasant odor, a rough taste, and a spicy bite; after storage, the aroma increases and the taste becomes smoother. This process is known as aging. Naturally stored liquor takes a long time to age, which is the origin of aged fine liquor.

In the 1950s, foreign countries began research on irradiating liquor to accelerate its aging and improve its quality. Using a cobalt-60 gamma ray source to irradiate the liquor can achieve the quality of aged liquor.

Radiation treatment is not only applicable to winemaking but can also extend the shelf life of food, effectively kill bacteria, viruses, and parasites in food, and ensure food safety. Many countries and regions have applied irradiation technology in the food industry and established relevant regulations and standards to govern its use. In mainland China, irradiated food also undergoes strict approvals and regulatory procedures to ensure that consumers can safely consume it.

It is worth mentioning that nuclear technologies like irradiation play a significant role in breeding. The National Atomic Energy Agency's Nuclear Technology (Radiation Breeding) R&D Center, part of the Crop Science Institute at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, has long been spearheading key national crop nuclear radiation projects and research projects such as nuclear energy development and crop variety improvement and pest control through nuclear radiation. More than 30 new varieties of wheat and vegetable crops, including high-yield, stable-yield, and salt-resistant wheat varieties like Hangmai802, have been cultivated and approved, showing a good yield potential, producing up to 497.87 kilograms per mu without irrigation throughout the entire growth period in soil conditions with average salinity of 3.32.

Moreover, since 2002, the IAEA’s Plant Radiation Breeding Technology Cooperation Center and Radiation Breeding R&D Center have organized five international cooperation projects in crop mutation breeding, involving 20 member countries from the Asia-Pacific region, training over 400 young mutation breeding research professionals from developing countries. The Asia-Pacific Association of Plant Mutation Research (AOAPM) and the International Plant Mutation Breeding Network (MBN) were established to provide radiation mutation services to countries including Mongolia, South Korea, Indonesia, Nepal, Australia, Yemen, and Bulgaria.

On April 20 this year, the first carbon-14 target was successfully extracted from the heavy water reactor at CNNC Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant, marking the start of China’s mass production of carbon-14, a crucial isotope widely used in medical and agricultural fields, breaking the near-complete reliance on imports. In July, a new generation of carbon-14 luminescence diagnostic technology resembling 'Purple Magic'—the luminescence sample vial—was approved for the market, bringing detection of Helicobacter pylori into a pain-free, non-invasive, accurate, and safe era with a science fiction feel, nearing a 'zero threshold' for detection. This marks another significant advancement in the technology of nuclear energy benefiting public health, one among many areas of rapid development in China’s isotope industry in recent years.

Utilizing the unique advantages of medical isotopes for diagnosis and treatment is an indispensable means to improve public health levels. For example, iodine-131 is a key radiopharmaceutical in the treatment of thyroid diseases, yttrium-90 is effective in the targeted treatment of liver cancer and other tumors, while carbon-14 is a powerful tool for detecting Helicobacter pylori, widely used in medical examinations. Previously, China relied heavily on imported medical isotopes, not only failing to meet the demands of domestic patients but also hindering the development of nuclear medicine research in China.

"Compared to other nuclear power bases, Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant is China’s only nuclear power base with heavy water reactors. The core structure of heavy water reactors is different from that of pressurized water reactors, adopting a pressure tube core that allows for online refueling and stable year-round operation. These design features can be used for the production of long/short half-life isotopes, allowing for long-term, large-scale stable supply of radioactive isotopes without affecting electricity generation," Wu Bingquan, deputy secretary of the party committee of Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant, told the Hong Kong Wenhui Daily reporter. Through independent research and development, Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant has mastered cobalt source radiation production technology, currently stably producing and supplying industrial and medical cobalt sources. Among them, the medical cobalt source meets all domestic market demand, with gamma knife equipment loaded with Qinshan’s medical cobalt source, simultaneously meeting domestic needs and partially exporting to international markets.

The isotope production base near Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant recently passed completion acceptance. Wu Bingquan introduced that the mass irradiation production facility for isotopes can achieve mass production of common medical isotopes such as yttrium-90, lutetium-177, and strontium-89, with sufficient capacity to meet domestic demand. Upon completion of the isotope separation and extraction production line, a stable supply of radioactive isotopes can be formed, further alleviating China’s heavy reliance on imported medical isotopes.

Breath Tests for Helicobacter Pylori

Chinese nuclear technology companies continue to make breakthroughs in the application and development of medical isotope technology. Recently, the luminescence sample vial developed by CNNC Haidewei was officially approved for market launch. This seemingly ordinary small bottle, filled with purple liquid, coupled with a simple breathing tube, requires just a few gentle breaths, causing the liquid in the bottle to magically fade in color, transforming into a gel state. Placing this magical small bottle into a specialized testing instrument quickly detects the presence of Helicobacter pylori in the body.

Chen Shixiong, chief expert at Haidewei and responsible for the gel luminescence method research, explained that the gel luminescence method makes breath tests approach 'zero-threshold'—both the elderly and children can use it easily, and even medical institutions with limited conditions unable to achieve low temperature storage can complete it easily, without high testing costs, negative reactions and safety risks are extremely low, and breath tests' 'one-breath results' are accurate and reliable, pioneering a new landscape for carbon-14 breath tests.

The research and development of radiopharmaceuticals and the nuclear healthcare industry embody the new and green productivity of nuclear technology. As introduced, Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant and its located Haiyan County plan to jointly create 'Two Bases, Two Centers', namely an isotope production base, radiopharmaceutical production base, nuclear technology innovation center, and nuclear healthcare center, striving to build a national nuclear technology application industry demonstration base. So far, they have attracted 23 research and production projects in isotopes and radiopharmaceuticals, with a total investment exceeding 8 billion RMB. After reaching capacity, the projects are expected to yield over 20 billion RMB in output.

During winter, areas along the Yangtze River often experience damp and cold weather, leading many southern netizens to jokingly envy the northern heating system, 'shedding tears of envy' and 'pleading for heating'. Little known is that Haiyan County, where Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant is located, is the only place providing public heating in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai regions. This is achieved by Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant utilizing the remaining thermal power of its units during winter, providing Zhejiang Province’s Haiyan County’s public facilities, residential communities, and industrial parks with large-scale safe, zero-carbon, and low-cost nuclear heating, representing an enviable 'nuclear benefit'.

'Nuclear heating transmits part of the heat generated by nuclear power plants to heating companies, subsequently delivering it to end users through heating networks.' An expert explained that the Haiyan County nuclear heating energy-saving project had a total investment of approximately 940 million RMB, with a total pipe length of about 10 kilometers extending from within Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant to Haiyan County's urban area. A primary heat exchange station is set within Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant to achieve hot water circulating heating.

So far, the Zhejiang Haiyan nuclear heating demonstration project has successfully completed tasks for three heating seasons, meeting the heating demands of three residential communities and senior apartments, allowing nearly 4,000 households to enjoy nuclear heating, pioneering nuclear heating in the south.

Compared to the electric heating method in southern regions, once fully constructed and operated, the nuclear heating project will achieve an annual heating supply of 704,000 gigajoules. Compared to coal-fired power units, it can reduce standard coal consumption by approximately 24,000 tons annually, consequently reducing annual emissions of sulfur dioxide by 204 tons, nitrogen oxides by 177.6 tons, and carbon dioxide by 63,000 tons. Furthermore, nuclear heating only requires changes to the external network, with indoor heating facilities continuing to be used, saving on renovation costs. Compared to the electric heating method, the heating price is reduced from 46 RMB per square meter to 30 RMB per square meter, saving users about 35% in heating costs.

Subsequently, Haiyan County will continue to collaborate with Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant to promote diversified development of nuclear heating, explore applications of nuclear heating in public welfare, public construction, agriculture, and commerce, advancing the promotion of nuclear heating in Haiyan residential communities. By connecting newly built community heating facilities and promoting nuclear heating conversions in schools, shopping malls, and existing communities, nuclear warmth will extend to thousands of households.

Not only Haiyan County, but more southern residents are expected to feel the 'nuclear warmth'. Reportedly, using coastal nuclear power's surplus heat, Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant aims to extend the heating range from the coast to the hinterland, aligning with various application scenarios to convert heat energy into electric energy or directly provide high-temperature process heat, transitioning nuclear power from a 'single-role player' to an 'all-around auxiliary', contributing more 'nuclear' power to green low-carbon development.

Irradiated food does not equal nuclear contaminated food. Irradiated food refers to food that has been treated with ionizing radiation or ionizing energy. Irradiated food does not directly contact the radiation source but merely receives the energy of rays to undergo biochemical reactions aimed at inhibiting germination, delaying or promoting ripening, and sterilizing, among other purposes. Irradiated food is produced worldwide. China has stringent regulations on irradiated food, having enacted multiple laws and regulations, stipulating that irradiated food must bear a unified label devised by the Ministry of Health on its packaging according to regulations.

Nuclear contaminated food generally refers to food contaminated by radioactive materials following a nuclear accident. These two types of food are completely different.