Apr 23 2011

Nothing To See Here

Crossposted from The Stars Hollow Gazette

Radioactive Iodine Found In Human Breast Milk

Tiny Fish Spur Widening Worry

Japan Discovers High Radiation Levels in One Species, Stoking Environmental and Safety Concerns

By JURO OSAWA and YOREE KOH in Tokyo and DAISUKE WAKABAYASHI in Kesennuma, Japan, The Wall Street Journal

APRIL 6, 2011

Officials from Tepco and the agency have said repeatedly that the level of radiation that has seeped into the sea over the past two weeks-while measured at highly elevated levels right near the plant-posed no major immediate threat to humans or to the environment, because the water disperses quickly into the vast ocean. But the contaminated fish were caught about 50 miles south of the reactors, well beyond the 12.5-mile evacuation perimeter.

One sample of konago caught Friday contained twice the permissible level of radioactive iodine-131, which has a half-life of eight days and which can accumulate in the thyroid in humans, possibly raising the risk of thyroid cancer. The other konago sample, caught Monday, had just over the permissible limit for cesium, an element with an uncertain impact on human health. Three different types of cesium were discovered, one of which has a half-life of 30 years.

…

The reports of contaminated fish have followed reports of tainted produce including spinach and broccoli, as well as raw milk, in Fukushima prefecture and other areas close to the reactors. The reports of contaminated seafood are potentially more worrisome, because the contaminated seawater, and the fish, move in uncontrollable and untraceable paths.

2 comments

    • RUKind on April 24, 2011 at 04:00
    • #

    This news is terrifying, or should be, for every sushi and sashimi consumer. Add in the Japan current and prevailing winds and we may get radioactive cod from Alaska later this year. Who will monitor that?

    The only good to come from this so far is the complete disappearance of new nukes in the US from the energy dialog.

    And now the owner of the mess admits the fuel has melted through the bottom of the reactor vessel. On two of the reactors no less. At some point it gets suicidal to approach them to fix whatever can be fixed. I  wonder if they’ll go the sarcophagus route a la Chernobyl. Not that that really works, either.

    Enjoy fresh seafood while you can. Between the Macondo well blow out the Japanese nukes the graffiti is on the wall. Our seafood has been tagged.

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