Posted on 12/06/2011 1:07:15 AM PST by TigerLikesRooster
Radioactive cesium found in Meiji baby formula
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Radioactive cesium of up to 30.8 becquerels per kilogram has been found in baby formula manufactured and sold by Meiji Co., sources familiar with the matter said Tuesday, citing a sampling by the major food company.
While it is unclear how the isotope got into the powdered milk, retailed as "Meiji Step," the company suspects a link with the radioactive leaks from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant damaged by the March earthquake and tsunami, they said.
Radioactive cesium has been found in baby formula for the first time since the disaster, according to the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry. The level of the isotope contained in the product remains below the government-set allowable limit of 200 becquerels per kilogram.
(Excerpt) Read more at mdn.mainichi.jp ...
Quite low concentrations, but everything out here regarding radiation is a bit half-assed at best. Be diligent and don’t panic is the best course of action.
Doubtless this is cesium that came from the wrecked reactor because this isotope does not occur in nature; however it’s unlikely to result in three-eyed babies — a becquerel means one decaying nucleus per second and they’re saying that a kilogram (about 2.2 pounds) is showing thirty-odd of these decays per second. This isn’t very far above background radiation.
Every week there is another report of a leak here and a contamination there. They know it’s bad or they wouldn’t be testing everything. They’re running scared but are still in save face mode.
Comparing radiation in milk to background radiation is meaningless. Background radiation is external to the body and the farther away you are from the source of radiation, the less damage your body receives. But these infants are drinking milk that is radioactive. This allows the radioactive isotopes to make direct contact with tissues while irradiating them - no distance to lessen the effect. The dose continues 24/7 for isotopes lodged in tissues etc. Unfortunately, babies have rapidly dividing cells and are so much more sensitive to radiation compared with adults. Here’s an excerpt (one of a 3 part series) which includes part of the testimony given by Professor Kodama, the head of the Radioisotope Center at the University of Tokyo.
“I have been in charge of antibody drugs at the Cabinet Office since Mr. Obuchi was the prime minister [1998-]. We put radioisotopes to antibody drugs to treat cancer. In other words, my job is to inject radioisotopes into human bodies, so my utmost concern is the internal radiation exposure and that is what I have been studying intensely.
The biggest problem of internal radiation is cancer. How does cancer happen? Because radiation cuts DNA strands. As you know, DNA is in a double helix. When it is in a double helix it is extremely stable. However, when a cell divides, the double helix becomes single strands, doubles and becomes 4 strands. This stage is the most vulnerable.
Therefore, the fetuses and small children, with cells that rapidly divide, are most susceptible to radiation danger. Even for adults, there are cells that rapidly divide such as hair, blood cells and intestinal epitheria, and they can be damaged by radiation.”
SNIP
“
Dr. Shoji Fukushima from a national institution called Japan Bioassay Research Center, which researches health effects of chemical compounds, has been studying diseases involving urinary tract since the Chernobyl accident.
Dr. Fukushima and doctors in Ukraine studied parts of bladders removed during more than 500 cases of prostatic hypertrophy surgery. They found out that in the highly contaminated area where 6Bq/liter was detected in urine, there was a high frequency of mutation of p53 though 6Bq may sound minuscule.
They also noticed many cases of proliferative precancerous conditions, which we assume was due to the activation of p38 MAP kinase and the signal called “NF-kappa B,” leading inevitably to proliferative cystitis, with carcinoma in situ occurring with considerable frequency.
Knowing this, I was astounded to hear the report that 2 to 13Bq/liter [of radioactive cesium] was detected from the breast milk of seven mothers in Fukushima.”
I forgot to post the link. Note the article linked is one of an excellent 3 part series including videos.
I forgot to post the link. Note the article linked is one of an excellent 3 part series including videos.
http://ex-skf.blogspot.com/2011/07/part-2-professor-tatsuhiko-kodama-of.html
Wow! Thanks for the link. Since there were workers to whom TEPCO did not issue dosimeters, and some temp workers whom TEPCO did not have sign any documents and therefore can’t be located, you just have to wonder how much internal radiation other workers have gotten. I do recall seeing pictures showing workers wearing their rebreathing apparatus incorrectly which can result in inhaled fumes and they are, after all, eating Fukushima produce etc. so I guess I shouldn’t’ be surprised. But I am deeply saddened. Prayers for the people of Japan.
Background radiation is usually powerful enough to pass through the body, especially that from cosmic rays.
I’d wonder whether the becquerels measured by Dr. Fukushima were leftovers from a much larger dose of relatively shorter-lived “corium” mix isotopes.
The doctor and the wrecked nuclear plant have the same name... that would make for a weird situation.
Because of a sudden alarm from the airborne “continuous dust monitor” near the Fukushima Daiichi's Main Anti-Earthquake Building (Emergency Response Center, or TSC), all personnel were told to put on full face masks as a precaution. The requirement for full face masks was relaxed around the TSC several weeks ago (as reported here). Investigation into the cause of the alarm found to be a clogged filter. The filter was replaced and the monitor re-calibrated. The reading shows a 7.9x10-6 bq/cc radioisotope level in the air, which is well below the level requiring full face masks. (1x10-4 bq/cc). Full face masks are no longer needed. (TEPCO Press Release)
Background radiation is usually powerful enough to pass through the body, especially that from cosmic rays.
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Ransomnote says: Distance lessens the intensity of background radiation. Ingested isotopes deliver their energy to surrounding tissue without the lessening effects of distance. Then add to that damage the additional man-made ‘background radiation’ (Cesium, Strontium, Plutonium) that the victims are exposed to in the wide areas contaminated by Fukushima.
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I’d wonder whether the becquerels measured by Dr. Fukushima were leftovers from a much larger dose of relatively shorter-lived “corium” mix isotopes.
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Ransomnote says: Doesn’t really matter. Living around the contamination delivers fresh doses of radiation to the victims as the other ‘short-lived’ isotopes fade out. Furthermore - a few days is long enough to damage the DNA sufficiently to cause cancer. Note that people get thyroid cancer from iodine-131, an isotope with an 8 day half life. During the days that the radiation is active - it is irradiating tissue, damaging DNA etc.
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Food and milk would be the first suspects. But radioactive dust is also a possibility. Found this tidbit.
Fukushima Accident Updates
Because of a sudden alarm from the airborne “continuous dust monitor” near the Fukushima Daiichi’s Main Anti-Earthquake Building (Emergency Response Center, or TSC), all personnel were told to put on full face masks as a precaution. The requirement for full face masks was relaxed around the TSC several weeks ago (as reported here). Investigation into the cause of the alarm found to be a clogged filter. The filter was replaced and the monitor re-calibrated. The reading shows a 7.9x10-6 bq/cc radioisotope level in the air, which is well below the level requiring full face masks. (1x10-4 bq/cc). Full face masks are no longer needed. (TEPCO Press Release)
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Well, TEPCO does have a hideous time with math and instrumentation. It’s not unusual for them to say that they were off by a factor of 100 or they got different results when trying different monitors! *shudder*.
Note the details from TEPCO. Apparently the meter was reading too high because the filter was clogged. One would think a clogged filter would result in lower readings then what was in the air. Perhaps they meant to say, dirty filter that was adding radiation ? Have heard that a very dirty RODI water filtration system can add more pollutants then was filtered. But that usually requires negligence from the operator who let the filters remain in too long. Perhaps something else is up here, and playing with the numbers, as you suggested, is a possibility.
I believe you’re confusing the square law for distance from an omnidirectional radiative source, with attenuative effects of intervening matter (if any). Cosmic rays at the surface of the earth have already managed to burrow through the atmosphere. A foot of water will not be the doom of most of that.
I believe it is preposterous to use the existence of cosmic rays as a means of indicating that we should not concern ourselves with radioactive fallout. Every medical source I have read indicates ingested or inhaled radioactive isotopes are more damaging to the body than external sources. The live petri dish known as Chernobyl has provided scientists with ample evidence that, though the earth is subject to cosmic rays, the fallout regions in the Ukraine and Europe have human populations with significant increases in cancers, leukemia and overall damaged health (non specifics like genetic damage, early dementia etc.)particularly in regions where the population is eating contaminated food and drinking contaminated water. The assertion that ‘hey, the whole earth is subject to comsic rays we should not FEAR radiation’ should be taken to dismiss the importance of 3 molten corium cores spewing radioactive waste over the entire island of Japan and continuously pouring it into the atmosphere and oceans for the foreseeable future is pathetic - regardless of the limited attenuation effects of intervening matter,(if any).
When attempts are made to quantify the dangers using sound physics, and the attempts are only met with strawmen and inaccurate arguments, well that can only paralyze the ability to make sensible distinctions. It can just as easily lead to “OMG the whole US is going to perish from the fallout” as to overly blase attitudes in Japan itself. Both are bad.
I just reviewed the thread contents. I could not locate objective attempts to accurately quantify the dangers using sound physics. Comparing the effects cosmic rays with radioactive cesium in baby formula is not defensible.
Your attempt at a strawman argument (three eyed baby)
was free of any scientific evidence - you simply assert that it’s low and barely above background. I note that the nuke industry would like to be considered as background radiation - they are actually foreground contamination. Medically, cesium is known to be damaging in the food and water supply and even low amounts of it cause bladder damage according to medical isotope specialists. Background radiation is natural, external and beyond human control. Three nuclear meltdowns contributing radioactive isotopes to the entire nation of Japan (have you seen the official map showing all of Japan contaminated with cesium?) is not natural but man-made, it gets into the food and water supply to add internal exposure to additional external exposure above background, and it could have been avoided. The science behind Chernobyl and the BEIR VII show that this will damage human health (including genetic damage) - you can offer your OMG nonsense here if you wish. I never have.
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