I131 from Japan

[Llama]

Am heading out to California tomorrow. Here is the checklist:

Fullface respirator......Check
Bottle of 1000 tabs of iodine pills....Check
Lead-lined jockstrap.......Check

On a serious note I will probably get more exposure on the flight there than from the trace amounts of iodine from the Janpanese plants. As usual the media has blown things out of proportion. What we will have as a result of the events taking place in Japan is:

   Radioactive iodine will have decayed off after approximately 40 days
   Cesium levels will increase slightly over the current environmental levels
   The economic impact will much greater than the radiological impact
   Reliance on fossil fuels will increase (i.e. cost of oil will go up) since it is faster to build these than nuke plants
   Anti-nukes will sieze the opportunity to discredit the construction of new plants (for the life of me I don't see
   how solar and wind power will supply the base needs on a calm night).

And of course I will add the disclaimer that the preceding comments are those of my own opinions   

[spentfuel]

News from Duke

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/03/28/2177798/trace-radiation-from-japanese.html#

sf

[Mike_Koehler]

Has the levels given you west coast types any nuisance alarms?

Yes

[Already Gone]

Trace levels have made it to New Hampshire.  Let the madness begin.

[JustinHEMI05]

Got a company notice today that "Japanese I131" has been detected at all our our sites. That is Ohio and PA. I like the term "Japanese I131."

[navynukedoc]

Got a company notice today that "Japanese I131" has been detected at all our our sites. That is Ohio and PA. I like the term "Japanese I131."

I will laugh with you. But think about this. Maybe it's a conspiracy. I mean, seriously, now that the world is worried about Japanese I131, we can all let ours out too, kind of like dumping our used motor oil in our neighbors backyard?? Who would know the difference??

Ok, retarded moment is finished.

Any other place besides random spots in the U.S. reporting the same thing?

[navynukedoc]

Fu-Go Type A

Fu-Go Type B

Fu-Go Type I131

So your thinking a grudge from the mid 1940's?? Wow, they must really be peaved!

[OldHP]

I like the term "Japanese I-131."

Fu-Go Type I-131

Particularly OH/PA!  I've been around for a little while, but can some one tell me how a responsible person can say "Japanese I-131"?  Granted, most hospitals do not "burp" I-131 (but it does happen), it goes out in through the drains.  But, I-131 is common in this country, as most, so how do you identify Japan as the source?

[JustinHEMI05]

Particularly OH/PA!  I've been around for a little while, but can some one tell me how a responsible person can say "Japanese I-131"?  Granted, most hospitals do not "burp" I-131 (but it does happen), it goes out in through the drains.  But, I-131 is common in this country, as most, so how do you identify Japan as the source?

That is what I was wondering. I know they can, I would just like to know how.

Justin

[hamsamich]

It is only assumed to be from the Japanese plants due to the many places that are detecting it.  There is no way to actually prove a certain atom is from a certain reactor.  Unless I am missing something very big and obvious.  Which has happened.

[OldHP]

That is what I was wondering. I know they can, I would just like to know how.

Justin

Actually I was beginning to think that what I was used to seeing as:

I-131 xxx xxx

Might be appearing as:

I
_

1
3
1


x
x
x


Sorry - I just had to do it .   
x
x
x

[MeterSwangin]

That is what I was wondering. I know they can, I would just like to know how.

Justin

The I-131 has been steady for two weeks now, and is accompanied by Cs-137.  Japanese.....

[JustinHEMI05]

Thanks for the info.

I don't get the joke OldHP, probably because I don't know anything about what happens to my core after I melt it.

[Mike_Koehler]

It isn't just the I-131 but the ratio of other "ultratrace isotopes" in the sample that ID it.

Mike

[spentfuel]

Particularly OH/PA!  I've been around for a little while, but can some one tell me how a responsible person can say "Japanese I-131"?  Granted, most hospitals do not "burp" I-131 (but it does happen), it goes out in through the drains.  But, I-131 is common in this country, as most, so how do you identify Japan as the source?

It is only assumed to be from the Japanese plants due to the many places that are detecting it.  There is no way to actually prove a certain atom is from a certain reactor.  Unless I am missing something very big and obvious.  Which has happened.

Lets see now..... 4 Japanese reactors suffer suspected core damage and are known to have been vented to relieve reactor pressure.... soon I-131 is detected in various contries including ours.....now unless Chernobyl is going critical again where else did it come from.... The salt company's perhaps  (you know they do add Iodine to salt)

Or perhaps all the hospitals around the world decided to take liquid I-131 and make it an aerosol and sent it in a secret rocket ship to the upper atmosphere so it could travel around the world

sounds plausible to me

sf

[RAD-GHOST]

It isn't just the I-131 but the ratio of other "ultratrace isotopes" in the sample that ID it.

Mike

"Ultratrace"....Is that like, it's there, but it's not, but it could be........

RG

[JustinHEMI05]

Hey I have been asked how exactly something like I131 in water is measured. This is beyond my realm of knowledge, so does anyone have any good links I can share? Thanks

Justin

[spentfuel]

Hey I have been asked how exactly something like I131 in water is measured. This is beyond my realm of knowledge, so does anyone have any good links I can share? Thanks

Justin

Simple answer is gamma spectroscopy of a calibrated geometry sample

sf

[namlive]

Right now they can measure it with an R0-20. Oh wait that only goes up to 50 R/hr. They have 7.5 million times the limit in their seawater and 1.1 million times the limit for Cs-137. No mention yet on Sr-90.

[Sun Dog]

Finally an upside to lactose intolerance:


(Little Rock, AR) -- Radioactive material released from the Fukushima Dia-ichi nuclear plant in Japan has been found in samples of milk taken in Arkansas.


The Arkansas Department of Health says that the levels are very low and not a cause for alarm.


"We know that people are concerned, but these levels are very low and pose no threat to our health. Arkansas milk is safe to drink," says William Mason, the ADH branch chief for Preparedness and Response.


According to the FDA, protective action is not necessary until the level of iodine-131 reaches 4,600 picoCuries per liter.


The EPA tested the milk and reports that it showed a level of 8.9 picoCuries per liter, which is 400 times lower than the level needed to cause concern.


Mason goes on to say that "we are continuing to monitor the situation carefully, working with our partners in the EPA."


(Courtesy: Fox16.com)

[Brett LaVigne]

We are no longer seeing I-131 in our air samples here in Northern CA.

The problem with all of this is that we have the ability to look for atoms (E -14). Because the MDA is so freaking low, we can't just say <MDA. Once you make results available to the public that don't say <MDA, they don't understand anything else...they just get freaked out that we can see anything at all.

I went on a small campaign to enlighten non-nuke folks about the misinformation the media was spreading. It was received very well by many, but I was also called a "Liar for the industry" many times by others. It is shamefull how the media has handled all of this.

[mack70]

Got a company notice today that "Japanese I131" has been detected at all our our sites. That is Ohio and PA. I like the term "Japanese I131."

So it has a different spectrum on the MCA than regular I131?