Radioactive food contamination discovered

[cstaylor]

http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/03/79586.html

Milk and spinach from areas near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant have been found with radiation above Japan's regulated standards, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said Saturday.

Edano, however, said at a news conference that the radiation detected does not immediately pose a risk to human health.

The top government spokesman said the government will look into details of the latest case and consider whether it is necessary to stop shipment of some of the agricultural products from areas near the power plant.

Milk in question is from the town of Kawamata in Fukushima Prefecture and radiation-contaminated spinach is from six municipalities in Ibaraki Prefecture, according to the health ministry.

Every home with a geiger counter for the next 30+ years...

[CrankyBastard]

http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/03/79586.html


Every home with a geiger counter for the next 30+ years...

Edano, however, said at a news conference that the radiation detected does not immediately pose a risk to human health.

That, "not immediately" bit has me somewhat concerned.

[cstaylor]

It's not like you're eating alpha particles... you're ingesting radioactive elements (iodine, cesium, etc...) that are emitting that radiation.

Some elements (like iodine) are absorbed by the body and continue to emit radiation until they've completely decayed.

[cstaylor]

Traces of radioactive iodine have been found in tap water in Tokyo and nearby prefectures (Kyodo News)

[legion]

Traces of radioactive iodine have been found in tap water in Tokyo and nearby prefectures (Kyodo News)

Is there enough to go round?

[Crystal Skull]

Well, won't be drinking the milk with school lunches for a few years.

[omae mona]

Any of these pseudo-science articles that talk about radiation or radioactive particles without actually discussing the AMOUNT of it need to be written off.

I have had radioactive particles strapped to Omae Mona Jr's wrist, on a glow in the dark watch, for years. Am I killing my kid? (god, I hope so!!)

I don't know whether this food or water contamination is enough to even remotely be a hazard to our health or not. The idiot journalists are unable to comprehend the scientific data, so they strip it out of their articles rather than interpreting it for us or even presenting it unabridged.

This is pissing me off. Anybody know what we can reference to find out what ACTUALLY is going on with the water & food supply? Radiation and radioactive particles are all around us, all the time. They are not the bogeyman. Not until there are enough of them to hurt us. We need to know how much there is.

[omae mona]

While that Kyodo article was a piece of crap, the New York Times seems to have given some relevant detail, for a change.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/world/asia/20japan.html?hp


At first, this might sound scary:

Food safety inspectors said that the amount of iodine-131 found in the tested milk was five times higher than levels deemed safe. They said that the iodine found in the spinach was more than seven times higher. The spinach also contained slightly higher amounts of cesium-137.

Five times? Ouch. But wait..

Mr. Ohara said that Japan is particularly strict in determining what constitutes safe radioactive levels.

And the clincher:

The newly discovered radioactivity contained in the average amount of spinach and milk consumed during an entire year would be equal to the amount received in a single CAT scan.

So let's put this in perspective. Let's say, in theory, that somehow for one year I can only get my hands on contaminated spinach and milk from the affected area, because all the other milk and spinach producers in Japan turned out to actually be French guys and left the country. Now, I have a choice. Should I let my kid get radiation equivalent to a single CAT scan, or should I stop my kid from eating spinach and milk for a year?

You know what? I will give my kid the contaminated milk and spinach. The health risks from taking it out of the diet are worse than the radiation from one CAT scan.

For those who are looking forward to getting in a panic about this food/water scare, go ahead. But I think it would make more sense to calm down and be rational.

[cstaylor]

Any of these pseudo-science articles that talk about radiation or radioactive particles without actually discussing the AMOUNT of it need to be written off.

Agreed.

I have had radioactive particles strapped to Omae Mona Jr's wrist, on a glow in the dark watch, for years. Am I killing my kid? (god, I hope so!!)

He's not eating the watch. Look, if you're receiving enough gamma radiation to cause a health hazard, you're in big trouble anyways. Radioactive iodine goes through beta decay, which is far more damaging than gamma radiation.

I don't know whether this food or water contamination is enough to even remotely be a hazard to our health or not

Absolutely agree. I ordered a geiger counter on the 13th, and it hasn't arrived yet, so I can't give any direct answers on the radiation levels.

The idiot journalists are unable to comprehend the scientific data, so they strip it out of their articles rather than interpreting it for us or even presenting it unabridged.

Agreed.

This is pissing me off.

Agree again.

Anybody know what we can reference to find out what ACTUALLY is going on with the water & food supply?

No, not yet. The water issue wasn't even covered on the 9:45 news. I think they don't have a suitable answer for it yet.

Radiation and radioactive particles are all around us, all the time.

Gamma radiation, cosmic rays? Yes. Beta radiation bouncing around our insides? Not so much.

They are not the bogeyman. Not until there are enough of them to hurt us. We need to know how much there is.

Absolutely agree 100%.

[damn name]

Good that they're testing. How many here cook vegetables without washing them? You have to eat large amounts of unwashed vegetables every day for a year to get one free CT scan. It's like a point card.

[omae mona]

He's not eating the watch.

You may be overestimating my kid's intelligence.

[cstaylor]

Let's say, in theory, that somehow for one year I can only get my hands on contaminated spinach and milk from the affected area, because all the other milk and spinach producers in Japan turned out to actually be French guys and left the country. Now, I have a choice. Should I let my kid get radiation equivalent to a single CAT scan, or should I stop my kid from eating spinach and milk for a year?

You're explanation treats the I-131 as an external beta radiation source. It doesn't work that way because the thyroid absorbs the iodine. So you've concentrated most of the radiation in a single gland, where it can decay and damage tissue in a localized area.

You know what? I will give my kid the contaminated milk and spinach. The health risks from taking it out of the diet are worse than the radiation from one CAT scan.

How many children do you know that have regular CT scans?

For those who are looking forward to getting in a panic about this food/water scare, go ahead. But I think it would make more sense to calm down and be rational.

I agree. Background radiation in Yokohama is still elevated above normal levels, and that radiation source must be still be in the area because it hasn't reduced back to the normal level over the last two days.

[cstaylor]

You may be overestimating my kid's intelligence.

LOL!

[cstaylor]

Good that they're testing. How many here cook vegetables without washing them? You have to eat large amounts of unwashed vegetables every day for a year to get one free CT scan. It's like a point card.

If the radioactive material is in the water, washing them doesn't do much. That's the rub: think of all the ways you use water during the day.

I don't think the government is punting on this. The news didn't explain _where_ in the tap water supply they discovered the radioactive iodine.

[Iraira]

Recently, they've been trying to limit the number of CT scans to 3-4 per person per year, as they do provide a decent amount of radiation. I already had a CT scan this year, so I guess I can have one or two more and eat spinach like Popeye....someone find me a tall flat chested chick who is always getting sekuhara from some big hairy dude...it's the alpha and beta radiation.

[cstaylor]

Kyodo has published additional information: http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/03/79661.html

The counts are pretty low for the sample taken.

[damn name]

So we can still wash our veggies. Damn. Another good panic ruined. Are you sure we can't spin this into Armageddon?

[cstaylor]

Who knows... the next couple of weeks are the most important for the short term. The next question is: what will the government do with the radioactive debris from the daiichi plant and the surrounding area?

[wuchan]

Kyodo has published additional information: http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/03/79661.html

The counts are pretty low for the sample taken.

The problem is they don't tell us which isotope of iodine was detected.

[Iraira]

The problem is they don't tell us which isotope of iodine was detected.

If it's 129, then we can resettle in Fukushima sometime after two Mbranes collide producing the next big bang.
It's probably 131 (high energy beta emitter) with an 8-day half-life.

note: thanks to the internet, you, too can appear really smart.

[Crystal Skull]

You know what? I will give my kid the contaminated milk and spinach.

What doesn't kill them, can only make them stronger. (except for their bones, then they are fucked, really fucked.)

[omae mona]

You're explanation treats the I-131 as an external beta radiation source. It doesn't work that way because the thyroid absorbs the iodine. So you've concentrated most of the radiation in a single gland, where it can decay and damage tissue in a localized area.

That is a very good point. Well, thyroid trouble runs in my family so we are probably already screwed anyway.

How many children do you know that have regular CT scans?

We are trying to figure out why the kid keeps eating those glow in the dark watches (brain scans) and how many have not passed yet (abdomen scans).

[cstaylor]

note: thanks to the internet, you, too can appear really smart.

I'm in the same boat. Chief Nuclear Physicist of the University of Wikipedia.

[wuchan]

If it's 129, then we can resettle in Fukushima sometime after two Mbranes collide producing the next big bang.
It's probably 131 (high energy beta emitter) with an 8-day half-life.

note: thanks to the internet, you, too can appear really smart.

there are several isotopes used for medical purposes. Some radiological tests require a patent to drink radioactive iodine other than 129 or 131. I had the test when I ruptured my spleen. I usually ask a lot stupid questions to pass the time when I go to the hospital. The doctor told me that the shit tasting drink contained iodine (125 I believe) and it would be in my system for four days or so (so not 131). The Dr. said that if I didn't stop bleeding before the iodine left my system they would have to remove the spleen because they couldn't give me more tracer for a few months. I never gave it much thought till now.

[wuchan]

Chief Nuclear Physicist of the University of Wikipedia.

[Doctor Stop]

The next question is: what will the government do with the radioactive debris from the daiichi plant and the surrounding area?

How about selling it to be shipped over to Iowa as landfill to lower average background radiation levels there?

[damn name]

If both emit from fuel rods, why would it more likely be 131? #3 was using MOX, a nasty cocktail with a plutonium flavor.

[Iraira]

I'm in the same boat. Chief Nuclear Physicist of the University of Wikipedia.

The trick is to rephrase what you have stolen from Wikipedia in such a way that you not only come off as if this information just happens to be at the forefront of your cerebral cortex on any given day, but to avoid using the same sentence structure, so a quick Google of your Poindexterian pontification doesn't yield hits that you just Wiki'd it.

[FG Lurker]

If the radioactive material is in the water, washing them doesn't do much. That's the rub: think of all the ways you use water during the day.

I don't think the government is punting on this. The news didn't explain _where_ in the tap water supply they discovered the radioactive iodine.

This got me thinking... Where, exactly, does Tokyo's water come from?

Here's hoping the answer doesn't involve Fukushima or anywhere nearby.

[Osakadave]

How about selling it to be shipped over to Iowa as landfill to lower average background radiation levels there?

No sank you.