Cesium, Strontium, Uranium - info on all in the food chain
Posted by BC 7/15
Guys and gals-
As crappy as this whole Fukushima fallout experience has been, it has got me back to doing brain push-ups. Along those lines, I have read hundreds of pages of cold war era docs as well as more modern information pertaining to Chernobyl and other readioactive releases.
This AM I found a great website where there is a wealth of information on levels of (insert name of poison here) in the food, water, and air. I would take most of this as qualitative - ie, it can give you an idea where these things may likely be found. I would also note that the great majority of us reading this have grown up in a world much more radioactive that we would care to know. You have eaten and apple with cesium-137 in it, and drank milk with Sr-90 in it. It's a fact.
Go to this website, pick your material, and read all you want. Very informative on the levels of "legacy" radiation we all have been living with. I am NOT implying that this is OK, merely that it is what it is, and not everyone has gotten sick.
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/index.asp
At least bookmark this link. Best comprehensive site I have seen for info on the various materials.
Cesium 137 Chernobyl - Fukushima
"The maximum atmospheric concentration of 137Cs measured in New York City in May 1986 was reported as 0.26 pCi/m3 (Feely et al. 1988)."
Maximum Cesium 137 detected in New York City after Chernobyl:
0.26 pCi/m3 = 0.00026 pCi/l = 0.00000962 Bq/l of Cesium 137 in 1986
From BRAWM's results, maximum Cesium 137 detected after Fukushima:
0.0324 pCi/m3 = 0.000032432 pCi/l = 0.0000012 Bq/l of Cesium 137 for March 27 2011
Then we have this:
"The average concentrations of 137Cs and 134Cs in Barrow, Alaska were reported as 0.027 and 0.019 pCi/m3, respectively, for the month of May 1986 (DOE 1986)."
But I'm kind of lazy to do the average for the first month of BRAWM air samples.
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ToxProfiles/tp157-c6.pdf (Page 142)