[ RadSafe ] Iodine Chemistry of nuclear reactorsinemergencycases

Wed Mar 23 22:19:26 CDT 2011

Thanks, Mr. Hearn. You are right; I didn't compute the unit conversions.  
But now I come up with 75 grams.

Did I goof it up again?

Steve 

In a message dated 3/23/2011 10:38:52 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
rhearn at bellsouth.net writes:

Maybe  7.5 g, but still a lot of salt. Of course there is kelp/seaweed as  a
significant iodine-bearing component in the Japanese diet.

-----  Original Message ----- 
From: <StevenFrey at aol.com>
To:  <radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2011 9:20  PM
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Iodine Chemistry of  nuclear
reactorsinemergencycases

Thanks, Rich! Assuming also  that

1) iodized salt contains 20 mg of iodine/kg NaCl (per  Reference  #1 below),

2) the adult male needs 150 ug/day of iodine  (per Reference #2  below),

3) a daily adult intake of 150 ug of  iodine saturates the thyroid with
iodine (implied in Reference #2, but not  definitively so stated  there)

Then a modest calculation would  give us the necessary mass of iodized
table salt per day to saturate the  thyroid as such:

Intake mass per day = (150 ug/day) / (20 mg/kg)   (apply  appropriate
ug-mg-kg unit conversion factors)

Intake  Mass per day = 750 grams  => 1.5 pounds of salt per   day

This rough calculation yields a result very close to the "several  pounds of
salt per day" that you mentioned in your below email.

The  key takeaway would seem to be that using iodized table salt to achieve,
let  alone maintain, effective iodine-prophylaxis of the  thyroid  would
invoke serious chemical toxicity risks of its  own.

Steve

References
1.  _https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Iodized_salt_
(https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Iodized_salt)

2.  _https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Iodine#Dietary_intake_
(https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Iodine#Dietary_intake)
========================================================================

In  a message dated 3/23/2011 7:53:17 P.M. Eastern Daylight  Time,
rich at tgainc.com writes:

1 tsp of  iodized salt contains  400 ug of iodine. The CDC recommends a 
daily

dosage  for adults,  of 130 mg (one 130 mg tablet OR two 65 mg tablets OR 
two
mL of   solution) to protect against radiation  exposure.

-----Original  Message-----
From:   radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu
[mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu]   On Behalf Of Franz Schönhofer
Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2011 4:41   PM
To: 'The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics)   MailingList'
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Iodine Chemistry of   nuclear
reactorsinemergencycases

Your ask, how much one can  trust  media???????

What a question!

Franz Schoenhofer,  PhD
MinRat  i.R.
Habicherg. 31/7
A-1160   Wien/Vienna
AUSTRIA

-----Ursprüngliche  Nachricht-----
Von:   radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu
[mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu]   Im Auftrag von Richard 
Gallego
Gesendet: Donnerstag, 24. März 2011   00:17
An: 'The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics)   MailingList'
Betreff: Re: [ RadSafe ] Iodine Chemistry of   nuclear
reactorsinemergencycases

I read last week online that  it  would take several pounds of salt per day.
I'm not sure how much  you can  trust media for accuracy, however.

-----Original  Message-----
From:   radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu
[mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu]   On Behalf Of
StevenFrey at aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2011  4:22  PM
To: radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ]  Iodine  Chemistry of nuclear  reactors
inemergencycases

Friends,

What  mass of iodized  salt would one have to ingest a day to completely
block
the   thyroid with non-radioactive iodine and then maintain 100%   blockage?
(assuming everyone's metabolism and uptake mechanisms  are   identical...)

Thanks,
Steve
Steven R. Frey,  MS,  CHP
South  Williamsport, PA   17702-7024
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