No subject

What is of concern in the first phase of a nuclear accident is I-131 (and to a lesser extent I-132). Then comes the so called Cesium-phase, when Cs-137 (and for a much lesser time Cs-134) are the radionuclides of concern. 

Boron - as explicitely mentioned: "elemental boron!!! - is absurd. No more comment. Borates are used in washing powders to make water soft, as well as zeolites. Zeolites are powerful in adsorbing certain ions, but not "radiation". 

I have made together with Fritzi Tataruch, a friend at the Austrian Institute for Wild Life Research (rather she has made it together with me!!) to feed a hexacyanoferrat, which is known to adsorb Cs-137 effectively, to roe deer. Enhanced excretion of Cs-137 was observed. Similar tests were made in a higher affected area in Austria with cows. If I remember correctly the reduction of Cs-137 was about  50% - in my opinion not worth the effort. 

Let me take the conclusion: 

I do not believe at all - unless having reliable data - that any such extremely enhancements of radionuclide concentrations in milk in Hawaii could have occurred. 
. 
Secondly the proposed "remediation" by "boron" is bluntant nonsense, no more comment.

Thirdly the other obviously proposed remedies are just a result of ignorance and lack of knowledge of any radioecological or agricultural facts. 

Fourthly in my home country Austria any such experiments  would be subject to severe measures of official approval, if what ever "unusual feed" would be fed. Scientists - real scientists - would be consulted The resulting milk would be screened officially. 


I start wondering, where all the excellent US radioecologists I used to know have vanished? Nobody of them at RADSAFE? What a pity!

Who is going to tell these persons about the nonsense they try to achieve? 

I refrain from further comments, most of all because I have also other things to do.

Best regards to everybody on RADSAFE - should you have some questions, which do not need elaborate work you are of course welcome!

Franz






---- Roger Helbig <rhelbig at sfo.com> schrieb:
> http://hawaiihealthguide.com/healthtalk/display.htm?id=915&hhsid=9ea42c3eb9d
> 93ab4faf7ca3cd98ee6d8
> 
> I strongly suspect that these well meaning dairy farmers are doing more harm
> than good.  Is that the case or does sodium borate do no harm?  If it does
> harm especially to the resulting milk, then the State of Hawaii's health
> department should be made aware of this.
> 
> Roger Helbig
> 
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--
Franz Schoenhofer, PhD, MinRat
Habicherg. 31/7
A-1160 Vienna
Austria
mobile: ++43 699 1706 1227