[ RadSafe ] Detectability vs. Hazard ,uranium in peaches

[parthasarathy k s]

While on a visit to the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, Dr Merril 
Eisenbud recounted an instance in which uranium was found in peaches. Initially, 
many felt that it came from a uranium enrichment plant operating nearby. Later 
an enterprising person collected samples of the fruit from far away California. 
Those peaches also contained trace amounts of uranium. More in peaches grown in 
cultivated farms. The source was phosphatic fertilizers which contain uranium!

Couple of years ago, an NGO found uranium in the hair samples of some children 
in Punjab, India. She attributed it to nuclear power plants. The news got wide 
publicity. My colleagues in BARC spent several man-hours tracking the source. 
Water samples in different parts of India as in other countries contain uranium. 
Actually the uranium content in hair of children were also not abnormally high

An active NGO attributed it to the "uranium dust" from Afghanistan. They were 
claiming that US used uranium tipped artillery in Afghanistan! 


Regards
Parthasarathy


________________________________
From: Jerry Cohen <jjc105 at yahoo.com>
To: The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing List 
<radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu>
Sent: Sun, 20 March, 2011 5:28:06
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Detectability vs. Hazard

    An almost unique property of radioactivity is that is that it is detectable 
even in miniscule quantities. In this regard, it is interesting to review the 
case of Mercury (Hg) in seawater. A few decades ago there was serious concern 
about consuming seafood which was found to be "tainted" with Hg. Swordfish was 
not being consumed and even canned tuna fish was viewed with alarm. This Hg 
contamination was considered the result of industrial pollution and Hg was the 
cause of considerable concern. Government funding supported much funding to 
research the "problem" and people were worried.
    Rational assessment at the time revealed that the most ambitious industrial 
activity and all of mankind's historical use of Hg could only account for a 
minute fraction of the total oceanic Hg inventory. So where did all of this Hg 
come from? The obvious answer is that the Hg was always there. In the eons since 

the earth was formed, the continuing hydrologic cycle caused rain to leach Hg 
and other minerals from the land, carrying it via the  rivers to the ocean where 

it remained and concentrated over all time. So, how was it that in the 60's and 
70's there becaome so much concern. I think I know the reason. Some time around 
the early 60's, atomic absorbtion (AA) analysis was developed and man was able 
to detect miniscule concentrations of Hg which were previously undetectable. 
Researches hyped the Hg problem to secure funding for further study, the news 
media reported extensively on the threat,  and perception of the problem 
snowballed. Finally, they discovered a store of tuna fish that had been canned 
in the early 20's, and found Hg concentrations similar to those that caused the 
current alarm showing that oceanic Hg levels were pretty much always there. 
Despite this, a lot of people still remain concerned. Once you scare them, it 
seems almost impossible to unscare them.
    I believe the moral of this story is that if we wish to diminish public fear 

of radiation we should start by somehow desensitizing radiation detectors. 
Either that, or find a way of making people think more rationally.

Jerry Cohen

________________________________
From: "GEOelectronics at netscape.com" <GEOelectronics at netscape.com>
To: radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu
Sent: Sat, March 19, 2011 3:47:00 PM
Subject: [ RadSafe ] I-131 in milk and activity on spinach around Fukushima

Dewey, from CNN-

"Tainted milk was found 30 kilometers (18 1/2 miles) from the plant and spinach 
was collected as far as 100 kilometers (65 miles) to the south, almost halfway 
to Tokyo."

and 
"Very small amounts -- far below the level of concern -- of radioactive iodine 
were also detected in tap water in Tokyo and most prefectures near the Fukushima 

Daiichi plant damaged by last week's monster earthquake and tsunami"



George Dowell



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