UCSF, UCB and LBNL Scientists Discuss Fukushima, Medical Imaging Radiation Risks

http://www.ucsf.edu/news/2011/08/10424/uc-experts-explain-radiation-risks-rea... Researchers compare radiation exposures and risks, ranging from everyday background exposures, to the Fukushima and Chernobyl nuclear disasters, to medical imaging.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• UCSF
• radiation
• nuclear
• Fukushima
• Chernobyl
• medical imaging
• risks
• radiation risks
• exposure

[oystla]

This video did not tuch upon my real questions;

- What does "hot particles" - micron sized uranium, plutionium, cesium etc. particles from Fukushima do to our bodies when inhaled or digested? Alpha emitters have been found in car filters in Japan (and even UK) so it is evident that these particles also have ended up also inside people.

[UCSFPublicAffairs]

@oystla The major radioisotopes from Fukushima are gamma emitters cesium 137 cesium 134 & iodine 131. Ingestion is a major route of exposure. Children exposed to radioactive iodine through milk & other foods after Chernobyl are at high risk for thyroid cancer later in life. Radioactive cesium concentrates in soft tissue, including muscle & higher levels boost cancer risk. Human exposures & health risks are monitored & gauged with dosimeters and techniques developed for this purpose.

[oystla]

Rebecca Smith-Bindman

at 4:50 talks about external radiation sources as a comparable exposure to Fukushima type accidents. But again, my point is a the explosions in Fukushima have produced an enourmus amount of micron sized radiactive particles. Such paricles will produce VERY large local doses of radiation in a human body if they get stuck inside lungs or intestins. This ctype of exposure an not be compared to some radiation that are averaged over the whole body.

[oystla]

Thomas McKone from Lawrence B. talks about temperatures required to volatilise different radiactive elements in relation to spreading radioactive material. But to me this is not the main point. An explosion / Detonation as in the third Fukushima reactor will pulverise reactor rods into fine particles. Even if Uranium or Pt is heavy, micron sized particles will be carried through the air as any dust particles does. So in explosions it's all about generating fine particles not temperature.

[oystla]

pt.2

And as far as I know the present techniques with dosimeters only measure external exposure. The internal exposure, especially from alpha emitters will not be detected. I hope Japan have good systems for registering of cancer. If lung cancer increases the coming years, I'm sure the main cause is some hot particles stuck in their lungs.

[oystla]

@UCSFPublicAffairs

But still, I don't think enough attention and reasearch have been made wrt the "hot particle" issue. Since the Fukushima reactors had large amounts of spent fuel and fuel containing considerable amounts of Plutionium, I fear a large amount of this fuel have been puverized in the explosions. Such particles does not as easy fall down close to the plant, but get carried with the wind and spread all over Japan and further.