BUMP: Trace Amount Studies/Research

Thanks Brian--appreciate the response.

I think for the average layperson (or at least me), something just doesn't seem healthy about ingesting radioactive particles that aren't normally present in the atmosphere. I guess comparisons to smoking a cigarette might seem more appropriate than to a cross country flight or a banana.

This uncertainty about exactly what the risk is (especially for expecting mothers and everyone with kids) makes it great that your team is providing all of this information and having a dialogue with members of the public--there really isn't a better place to turn for everyone here on the West Coast. Hope that you're not too frustrated with us as we know you guys are working really hard!

In any event, I've located a 2004 IRCP study regarding low doses of ionizing radiation (at http://www.icrp.org/docs/Low-dose_TG_rept_for_web.pdf) along with the previously cited Swedish Chernobyl fallout study at http://www.nber.org/~almond/revision_nov6.pdf) whose conclusion is at odds with the French study cited by Professor Chivers.

Also the Minnesota Department of Health has a publication (though not a study) regarding prenatal radiation exposure at http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/radiation/radioactive/prenatalexpo... --

"Exposure to any level of radiation is assumed to carry with it a certain amount of risk. In the absence of scientific certainty regarding the relationship between low dose exposure and health effects, the scientific community generally assumes that any exposure to ionizing radiation may cause undesirable biological effects. In addition, the assumption is that the likelihood of these effects increases as the dose increases."

Will post links to other research/studies as I come across them, but it seems that no one truly understands what the risks of this low level (but ongoing exposure) are other than that they're very small and slightly higher for people like my pregnant wife. We could all be in a much worse situation, like those suffering in Japan so I'll try to breathe a little bit easier tonight.

Please do keep up the good work though, particuarly so we can understand whatever the risks are from the air we continue to breathe and whatever Ce-137 was deposited here in California over the last two weeks.

Many thanks,
WH

Have you had a chance to locate any additional studies on the effects of inhaling/ingesting low level radiation Brian? Some of the other study links seem troubling and to discount the insignificant health risk points--particularly if we start to see I-131 and Ce-137 in our milk, veggies etc due to the wet deposition over the past 2 weeks.

Thanks,
WH