BRAWM Team: What Are The Results Of The Plutonium Analysis
A few weeks ago, Mark said that plutonium data was being analyzed
and a final report was pending. I don't recall seeing the results.
Has that analysis been completed? And if so, can you please post
the results?
=================================================================
http://www.nuc.berkeley.edu/node/3245
We've taken some data over
Submitted by bandstra on Wed, 2011-04-20 02:26.
We've taken some data over the last few days with an alpha spectrometer and are currently analyzing the data. We should have a final report on that later in the week.
By the way, we are not seeing any clear signs of plutonium. The analysis is to set an upper limit so we can compare to the limits of other tests, such as the EPA data.
Mark [BRAWM Team Member]
=================================================================
Never mind to hard to
Never mind to hard to isolate it.
Because of the small quantities present in nature, isolation of polonium from natural sources is complicated. The largest ever isolated batch from 37 tonnes of residues from radium production yielded only 40 Ci of polonium-210.[22]
Never mind to hard to
Never mind to hard to isolate it.
Because of the small quantities present in nature, isolation of polonium from natural sources is complicated. The largest ever isolated batch from 37 tonnes of residues from radium production yielded only 40 Ci of polonium-210.[22]
Odd now I know
Alexander Litvinenko was a former officer of the Russian Federal Security Service, And was murderd by polonium 210
Link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Litvinenko
On 1 November 2006 Litvinenko suddenly fell ill and was hospitalised in what was established as a case of poisoning by radioactive polonium-210 and that resulted in his death on 23 November. The events leading up to his poisoning and death are a matter of controversy, spawning numerous theories relating to his poisoning and death.
This is probably why the EPA
This is probably why the EPA uses solvent extraction to prepare he samples for spec testing.
Bump
Hello BRAWM Team,
Any update on this?
IT'S MORE THAN 3 MONTHS NOW FOR PLUTONIUM ANALYSIS!
Can we please know the results now? Thanks.
Bump
Bump
Bump
Bump
Bump
Bump
I am also awaiting these
I am also awaiting these results.
Bump
Just bumping this so it stays on the radar screen and doesn't get forgotten :-)
Mark, any update on this? It's been a few weeks now.
Thanks!!!
Update on alpha experiment
Thanks for asking about this -- the testing and analysis is still in the works. We placed a piece of filter paper over the intake of one of our vacuums for a few days in mid-April. We took that piece of paper off and placed it in front of our alpha detector on April 19. Today we are still measuring alpha particles from this air filter for three reasons:
(1) The energy resolution of our alpha detector setup turns out to be poor (~10% full-width at half-maximum). This is probably due to the energy loss of alpha particles as they escape the air filter and impact our detector. This means that isotope identification is more difficult since the peaks are "smeared out" and that the data analysis is more complicated.
(2) We found a few naturally-occurring isotopes in the alpha spectrum, including Bismuth-212 and Polonium-212. These isotopes are present in air due to the radioactive decay of radon gas (specifically Rn-220 and Rn-222). The levels of these backgrounds are decaying with a half-life of approximately 4 days.
(3) The isotopes of Uranium that the EPA has detected in air filters are U-238 and U-234, with half-lives of 4.5 billion years and 250,000 years, respectively. Because the half-lives of these isotopes (and also U-235 and Pu-239) are so long, we need to take data for as long as possible in order to see any alphas from them.
So to avoid confusion between nearby background alphas and alphas from Uranium or Plutonium, and in order to be able to set adequate limits, we must continue to take data. I'm not sure yet when we will have results out, but once we're certain that we have taken enough data and have been able to analyze it appropriately, we will post it.
Mark [BRAWM Team Member]
I read this long, crazy
I read this long, crazy detailed report a man sent to the epa proving that plutonim can go right through hepa filters. I'll try to find the link, but it was well over a month ago that I ran across it. I still bought a room filtration device, though!
Thank you for this thorough
Thank you for this thorough response. It is much appreciated. :)
Yes, thank you
Yes, thank you BRAWM!!
However, I think I must be missing something....The EPA found Uranium in it's air filters (with a 4 million yr half life) and they are now going back to monitoring quarterly?? What? I must be missing part of the picture... this just doesn't make sense.
EPA measured natural uranium
Yes, you're missing a piece. The uranium measured by the EPA in its air filters is consistent with natural abundances and not releases from Fukushima. This has been covered in earlier discussions on this forum.
U-238 and U-234 are naturally occurring. So is U-235, which is the isotope actually used for nuclear fission. Uranium is mined from the ground:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranium_Isotopes
Mark [BRAWM Team Member]
Thank you for explaining. I
Thank you for explaining. I am so thankful for this forum, the information it is providing, and team BRAWM. I should have done my homework on this crash course of nuclear energy 101, however I am very tired and need sleep. Thanks again for clarifying!
Oops,,,sorry...meant 4.5
Oops,,,sorry...meant 4.5 Billion! Egads, do we humans make this stuff?
Just a quick observation...
...For ANYONE frequenting this Forum and monitoring BRAWM's testing of various media for Fukushima-related radionuclides: If you can read Mark's (above) explanation of the UCBNE staff's painstaking efforts to thoroughly, exactingly, and accurately come up with reliable results, and NOT come away with TOTAL confidence in their honesty, professionalism, and discernment, then there is really, really, REALLY something wrong with you. In a sea of relative unconcern, disengagement and duplicity, UCBNE / BRAWM are a beacon of scientific-mindedness, academic integrity and public accountability.
You (I / we) may disagree with some of their opinions, may question their results, may interrogate them on methodology... But it's hard not to be IN AWE OF THEIR INTENTIONS, THEIR CONDUCT AND THEIR FIDELITY TO FULL DISCLOSURE throughout this event.
Rick.
Thanks, Mark
Appreciate the update.
bump!
bump!
Bump
Bump
still waiting it's been a
still waiting it's been a while now!!!! Whats the hold up???
Where the hell is EPA? We pay them to do this
Why are we reduced to the benevolence of an academic department to monitor our environment when we PAY TAXES to the federal government to fund the EPA, FDA??????????
That said, plutonium results would be great to know about if it's possible.