A researcher at Case Western Reserve University has detected tiny amounts of Iodine 131 from Japan in rainwater collected from the roof of a campus building.
Gerald Matisoff, professor of geology, said the presence of the isotope presents no danger to human health. He estimated the level of radiation is about one-tenth that of natural background radiation.
"In theory, the Iodine 131 could have come from any radioactive waste processing facility," Matisoff said. "But, we know it's from Japan. The isotope is being seen worldwide."
Matisoff and graduate student Mary Carson collect water on the roof of the A.W. Smith Building, on the campus quad, to monitor the particulates being carried in rain into Lake Erie.
Carson ran the analysis Friday and Matisoff verified the findings today.
via Radiation from Japan detected in Cleveland.
Some bad news:
At 1:45, the newscaster states that a crane collapsed onto the fuel rods. This is MOX fuel, meaning they damaged rods that contained plutonium.
Update: Confirmed:
Plutonium found in soil at the Fukushima nuclear complex heightened alarm on Tuesday over Japan's battle to contain the world's worst atomic crisis in 25 years, as pressure mounted on the prime minister to widen an evacuation zone around the plant. ...
Plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co said plutonium was found at low-risk levels in five places at the facility, which was crippled by a massive earthquake and tsunami on March 11.
A by-product of atomic reactions and also used in nuclear bombs, plutonium is highly carcinogenic and one of the most dangerous substances on the planet, experts say.
They believe some of the plutonium may have come from spent fuel rods at Fukushima or damage to reactor No. 3, the only one to use plutonium in its fuel mix. ... - reuters
6 comments:
Traces of Japanese radiation are detected Alaska, Alabama, California, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, and Washington State over the past week.
And very low “trace amounts” of radiation were also reported in Massachusetts rain water and by state officials and nuclear power plant radiation sensors in Colorado, South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, and Pennsylvania, the Associated Press and Reuters reported
Source:
Traces of Japanese radiation detected in 13 US states
By Mark Clayton, Staff writer / March 28, 2011, Christian Science Monitor
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2011/0328/Traces-of-Japanese-radiation-detected-in-13-US-states
And here's this:
More radioactive water spills at Japan nuke plant
By SHINO YUASA, Associated Press Shino Yuasa, Associated Press
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110328/ap_on_bi_ge/as_japan_earthquake
In other words, the situation is NOT getting any better.
why do we not drop a nuke on the nuke plant and stop this madness
Morbidly funny, Charles! A better option is to bury it in a mountain of dirt dropped from helicopters. But, with both options the nuclear profiteers may lose out. And, seeing how everything nowadays is based on profit, I guess we must just eventually endure the Plutonium, the most carcinogenic substance known.
Sorry to be so obnoxious, but ...
according to Associated Press (March 29, 2011)
"...Tokyo Electric Power Co. [TEPCO] officials had [in the past] dismissed scientific evidence and geological history that indicated that a massive earthquake — and subsequent tsunami — was far more likely than they believed.
.... Nikkei, Japan's top business newspaper, called it "outrageous" that TEPCO had been slow to release information about trenches outside the reactors filled with contaminated water.
... The plant has been leaking radiation that has made its way into vegetables, raw milk and tap water as far away as Tokyo.
... Prime Minister Naoto Kan, meanwhile, reiterated in a speech to parliament that Japan was grappling with its worst problems since World War II."
Source: "Japan vows to review nuclear safety standards," By Mari Yamaguchi and Yuri Kageyama March 29, 2011
Wow Charles, very classy. Prehaps you should join the likes of Glen Beck, Rush, 50 cent, and the aflak duck... They are very poplur right now.
Other than that, people here are in a total panic. Not sure weather to run or stay. Our news as times says the truth of the matter and expresses there isn't much good ideas on what to do. Other times it rarely talks about things to ease peoples worries. It doesn't help that we will have rolling black outs until winter. I really am thinking about going. The American Embassy is sort of cold about this. They reccomend leaving but if you choose to stay then don't blame them because they warned you lol. It would help if they lowered the plane tickets. They have sky rocketed since this issue started.
March 31, 2011
"Radiation Traces Found in U.S. Milk"
by Stephen Powers
Wall St. Journal
"The U.S. government said Wednesday that traces of radiation have been found in milk in Washington state, but said [of course!]the amounts are far too low to trigger any public-health concern...."
Finally, TEPCO is considering entombing some of it reactors:
"Bodies of 1,000 victims of Japan earthquake left uncollected because of fears of high levels of radiation By Richard Shears
31st March 201
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1371793/Japan-nuclear-crisis-Fukushima-plant-entombed-concrete-radiation-leak.html
And, again: "of course," being concerned about the radioactive fallout is "fear mongering" because "Fukushima fearmongers are stealing our Jetsons future"
By Lewis Page
31st March 2011, The Register (UK)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/03/31/fukushima_panic_breaks_completely_free_of_facts/
I guess the only thing we can legitimately "fear" are "terrorists" supportive as it is of the expansive military industry.
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