Nuclear Plant Radiation Risks

[RWebb]

saw some people asking about effects on the US - I doubt there is much (maybe avoid sushi from Japan?)

here is what I've abstracted from NYT & a few other sources so far...

radioactive materials found in the cooling water of a nuclear reactor:

radioactive nitrogen, N-16 - 1/2 life is only 7 sec. so risk only for plant workers and operators

Tritium, H - radiation emissions not travel very far in the air and cannot penetrate the skin


Greater Risk:

Iodine-131 - 1/2 life is 8 days; milk & milk products that are contaminated are a big risk and does accumulate in the body esp. thyroid; carcinogenic; very bad news re human health, but can be flushed from the body by using other I-compounds, e.g. KI -- main risk is to those within 10 miles of the reactor or its plume

cesium-137 - 1/2 life of 30 years - potentially, a large threat; could also bio-accumulate and maybe wind up in US food supplies; this is what still contaminates the Ukraine (Chernobyl) - hopefully, major parts of the small island of Japan will not suffer the same fate

IIRC, C-137 may accumulate in muscle tissue & the dust cannot be easily avoided; not sure as to how well it might travel in in ocean currents (either in the water, or in water-borne creatures)

if these latter 2 elements are detected then there has been some sort of breach of the reactor core
(not sure, but these 2 radionuclides might only be released if the core gets to either 1,000 oF [metal fuel rods] or 2,000 oF [ceramic U-fuel pellets])


don't forget (in all the excitement & hoopla) that coal fired power plants emit radioactivity too...

[RWebb]

BTW - pretty sure both Japanese reactors DO have containment vessels; Chernobyl did not.

[Racerbvd]

A friend sent this, I'm sure stuff you already know.

Japan has lost control of 4 out of 5 nuclear reactors hit by the earthquake. Radioactivity outside the buildings was reported 8 times 'normal'--a six-mile radius has been evacuated. Potentially, this could be the worst nuclear accident in history. If you have an iodine supplement (even kelp), take it immediately at a maximum dose and be prepared for fallout across North America in three days, lasting indefinitely.
Japan Earthquake: Emergencies at 5 Japanese Nuclear Reactors; Radiation Levels Spike at Most-Affected Site - ABC News


CDC Radiation Emergencies | Potassium Iodide (KI)


Nuclear Meltdown - Rachel Maddow - Japan Earthquake | Mediaite

[RWebb]

sea water might dilute and absorb most all of the radioactive elements

BUT, C-137 might well be in airborne dust

both C-137 & I-131 can also be transported by living things - plants, animals, etc. in the air or water column AND the concentrations could increase in things we eat (food chain concentration and accumulation in certain (maybe preferred) parts of an animal's body)

overall, not much worry for US even if there is a meltdown but that is just my guess

[RWebb]

huh, Byron -- I thought there were just 2 reactors at risk.

still 8x normal might not be too bad, except locally

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by RWebb

huh, Byron -- I thought there were just 2 reactors at risk.

still 8x normal might not be too bad, except locally

Just some info a friend sent, we have many friends who tour in Japan, 3 months at a times, so she wanted to make sure every one has the info..

[URY914]

Now the chances of a new reactor being built in the U.S. are about 1 in a million....

[crustychief]

That is exactly what I was telling Mrs Crusty.

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by URY914

Now the chances of a new reactor being built in the U.S. are about 1 in a million....

Actually there are well over a hundreds nuclear power stations in the planning stage right now that are going to be built world wide over the next 10 years.
China alone has about 60 on the drawing board.

The reason for this is because they are considered to be a clean way of producing energy.
They'll mainly be replacing coal fired power plants.

The state I live in has the worlds largest uranium mine... Olympic Damn. There are approximately 8 active uranium mines in Australia.
Ironic when you consider the only nuclear power station in Australia is used to produce medical isotopes.

[URY914]

I said U.S.

[red-beard]

#1. This just killed nuclear power in the USA for another generation.

#2. Eight times nothing is still nothing.

#3. So far, as we know there is no containment breech.

My question: WTF was that explosion visible at the plant? HYdrogen? Steam. No one seems to be reporting on wha caused the exposion.

Friggen Russians and Chernobyl. It was a major study in our Nuke E courses. How can you builld a nuclear plant without a containment structure.

[Crowbob]

I am fairly optimistic nuke plants will still be built in the US. Hopefully not in the most active earthquake areas like on the Ring of Fire.

[ODDJOB UNO]

when chernobyl lit off, despite a containment dome(same as PVNGS outside phx.) it let loose ENOUGH FEEKING radioactive crap that in 3 feeking days it traveled around the globe and ENDED UP BEING DETECTED IN THE DAIRY COWS MILK IN GILBERT AZ!


now my narrow minded amigos maybe that will give you a clue to the gravity of this situation.




now i have very lil patience for stooopid people let alone stoopid countries that build nuke plants in earthquake prone areas let alone tsunami prone areas.




now lets look at historical(hysterical) facts about earthquakes and tsunamis.



look at map for big island hawaii. look on west coast below kona. it is called kealakakua bay. also know as capn cook. its where cook was murr-durred(red-rummed). also go to you tube about 2 yrs ago and a video will show k-bay after a earthquake and the hillsides sloughing off into the ocean. well underwater is a submarine canyon. and back ions ago an earthquake occurred, hillside sloughed off into canyon and decided to spawn a tsunami that deposited seashells and sand at the 4000 ft elevation on the islands west face(above k-bay).


now think about that for a moment.


then move yer lil mouse and start looking for the cascadia fault line around oregon and washington n. calif. once again back ions ago a fracture occurred and a tsunami spawned. deposits of old growth redwoods and conifers found many miles inland. now how in hells name did they get there? yep another massive tsunami. now the question to still be answered was it the cascadia fault line that spawned a tsunami or was it an earthquake in japan that spawned the tsunami that hit the pacific northwest back then.


or lets go back to hawaii the big island and my fave : hilo. hilo has been nailed numerous times. the big ones were from earthquake activity from alaska/chile. to see hilo from the air and by ground, and then go to the tsunami museum.............well you will figure out damn quick this stuff aint a joke.




and thats why I LOVE ARIZONA!

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by ODDJOB UNO

when chernobyl lit off, despite a containment dome(same as PVNGS outside phx.) it let loose ENOUGH FEEKING radioactive crap that in 3 feeking days it traveled around the globe and ENDED UP BEING DETECTED IN THE DAIRY COWS MILK IN GILBERT AZ!

Chernobyl did not have any containment of anykind. It was built in a WOODEN factory building.

[ODDJOB UNO]

what was all the concrete that fell in on it?

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by red-beard

My question: WTF was that explosion visible at the plant? HYdrogen? Steam. No one seems to be reporting on wha caused the exposion.

Just answered. Hydrogen, which was being released from the reactor. They are expecting to do the same with a couple of the other reactors.

[ODDJOB UNO]

the fat lady has not sung on this one yet. repeated aftershocks, will be screwing with them for a while. this was a BIG ONE! and it aint over yet. and i am AFEARED!


japs will be tight lipped about this. mark my words. 1st it was 6 mile evac area. then 12 miles. now last word 20 mile evac area.


they have FEEKED UP ROYALLY ON THIS!



homey dont lak radiation. know toooo much about it. seen tooooo much of what it does. radiation aint cool.




go to nbc gas masks.com they are having a sale right now!



the K-1 MILITARY version is on sale for $218.00!



a wonderful gift idea. as SEEN ON TV!

[Porsche-O-Phile]

I heard the core is so hot it was shattering molecules of water into H2 and O2 which caused a buildup of hydrogen... One spark = Hindenburg and cue up that oh the huge manatee pic...

[ODDJOB UNO]

msnbc just reported "multiple meltdowns" at various plants. now sooner or later the very prideful japanese will have to become a lil more "transparent" about what the hell is ACTUALLY GOING ON!


trust me we will be the last TO KNOW!




brings new meaning to "sake-bombers" doesnt it?

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by URY914

I said U.S.

I doubt that what happened in Japan will have any effect as to what happens in the U.S.
IMO... All of the nuclear power stations planned for the US will go ahead.

Nuclear Power in the USA

The Japanese will clean up the mess and rebuild like they always have before.

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I wish we had some real facts about what's happening in Japan. It's like the world press is holding back.
The last real piece of information was the explosion.