400,000 times normal levels! Yeah, but don't worry. That was way back in March, almost nine months ago. Yes, we know, we could have told you earlier. But we needed to monitor the situation so that we could give you the good news.
The article continues: "It took three months before the volume of radioactive substances returned to normal levels." You see? Be happy! Yes, we know we could have told you this six months ago, but we've been rather busy.
Wait a minute.
I seriously doubt "normal levels" were ever obtained, as normal levels of radioactive Xenon-133 are very close to zero. Xenon-133 has a half-life of 5.25 days. It is true that a one-time release of Xenon-133 will almost vanish within 90 days (only .00075% of the original amount will remain). However, given that we have three active nuclear melt-downs in Fukushima, and that radioactive Iodine-133 (half-life 20.8 hours) is being released continuously by these reactions, and that Iodine-133 decays into Xenon-133, well, I smell stinking liars.
The article finishes with this, "Since xenon-133 hardly reacts to any other substance, there is no fear of internal exposure to radiation even if inhaled, experts say."
Xenon is a noble gas, meaning it is chemically non-reactive. But this is Xenon-133, an unstable radioactive isotope that releases beta and gamma radiation. It is radioactive! The closer you are to the radiation, the more damage it does to your tissues and DNA. If you inhale it, you just got intimate with it, meaning you can't get any closer.
"No fear of internal exposure to radiation even if inhaled" ???
I think my sense of smell was right.
even if inhaled.
The original article I linked to has disappeared. It was such a blatant lie that there is little wonder it was pulled. Here is a copy of it I managed to find after a Google search.
ReplyDeleteXenon 400,000 times normal found in Chiba air immediately after Fukushima nuke accident(Mainichi, Dec 2, 2011)
CHIBA — Radioactive xenon-133 some 400,000 times normal levels was detected in the atmosphere here immediately after the outbreak of the crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant, a radiation survey organization said.
It took three months before the volume of radioactive substances returned to normal levels.
The Chiba-based Japan Chemical Analysis Center made the announcement during a radiation research session in Tokyo on Dec. 1, organized by the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry.
Keisuke Isogai from the center denied that the high concentration of radioactive substance posed a health hazard.
“I think xenon-133 drifted from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant to Chiba in the form of a plume. Since the detected amount translates into a cumulative external exposure to radiation of only 1.3 microsieverts over the three-month period, it won’t cause a health hazard,” he said.
The average amount of xenon-133 in the atmosphere was 1,300 becquerels per cubic meter of air in Chiba between March 14 and 22, as compared with zero to 3.4 millibecquerels before the crisis. The volume reached 400,000 times normal levels shortly after the nuclear crisis was triggered by the March 11 tsunami, according to the center.
Xenon-133 is generated in the process of nuclear fission of uranium and plutonium used as fuel at nuclear power stations. Since xenon-133 hardly reacts to any other substance, there is no fear of internal exposure to radiation even if inhaled, experts say.