Radiation Detected!

The press is having a field day with throwing out all sorts of scary numbers.  Radiation levels 10,000 times background, Iodine levels in the water off the coast of the Fukushima Daiichi Complex 1,250 times normal, all sorts of multiples.  Problem with the numbers they state there is no perspective. 

A good example is iron compounds or vitamins.  A small amount of iron for example is a good thing, it is healthy, helps your body to transport oxygen throughout your system.  In larger amounts it is very toxic, and you will die.  Same with Vitamin A, too much, and one will die.  A little bit of sunlight is healthy, it helps the body to synthesis vitamin D, too much, and you will be sunburned and fatigued for a couple of days. 

Radiation in large quantities is bad for you, however in the amounts that are being detected outside of Fukushima, it may be good to limit quantities of exposure, but it more than likely may have no detrimental effects on the long term health of the individuals.  For example, the Iodine found on the leafy vegetables is not in them (yet).  If vegetables are washed or rinsed well they should be safe to consume. With the pesticides and fertilizers used today, washing your vegies is a good idea.  It is a good idea for children to avoid exposure.  Longer term it may be a good idea to avoid vegetables if they are radioactive, since the radioactive materials will be absorbed by the plants.  Iodine 131 should not be an issue long term since it has a very short half life and decays into non radioactive Iodine after 10 half lives, 80 days.  Isotopes of concern are Strontium 90 since it mimics Calcium, and Cesium 137, since it mimics potassium and is absorbed throughout the body.  However, again trace amounts do not mean that one will get cancer, or suffer any ill effects.  I suspect that long term property within 10 miles of the plant will be considered a loss, however I think that it could be habitable without issue. 

That leaves me to the results of my swipe test:

 

	03/17/11	03/18/11	03/19/11	03/20/11	03/21/11	03/22/11	03/23/11	03/24/11	03/25/11
Driveway	15.6	12.6	13.6	13.2	9.6	13.6	9.8	11.4	12.2
Indoor Count	15.8	14.4	14.2	14.2	11.2	17.4	14	15.6	15.6
Swipe	14.2	11.6	13.2	13.6	10.8	14	9.8	11	11.2
Note:	All Counts are in Counts Per Minute Using an SE International Digilert, Gross alpha beta and gamma

   

PM1703m = 8 uR/hr, PM1208 .13 uSv/hr

Today a very light rain is falling, maybe I will detect something today.