[ RadSafe ] ERRATA ; RE: Lichen: was: RE: More Nuclear-News Hype High radiation level at Fukushima school, even after 'decontamination'

Sat Jul 14 15:58:23 CDT 2012

ERRATA:
Please note some conversion corrections below to my prior post. I made a
number of errors in converting Bq to pCi in dashing off the note below. I've
been at this too long and can't get over respecting Madame Curie by using
pCi which yields numbers, of a magniture to me at least, easier to compare
having been involved in environmental monitoring program data review for 40
years. My apology. The numerically corrected copy [ I hope ] is below.

UPDATED TEXT:
-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu
[mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Stewart Farber
Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 3:26 PM
To: 'The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing List'
Subject: [ RadSafe ] Lichen: was: RE: More Nuclear-News Hype High radiation
level at Fukushima school, even after 'decontamination'

A bit of relevant history about Lichen and atmospheric fallout of Cs-137.

Lichen makes a very interesting sampling media which shows the unique
ability to greatly concentrate Cs-137 in fallout. It is basically a filter,
concentrating fallout.  This issue was studied in great detail during the
peak levels of atmospheric fallout observed from open air nuclear weapons
testing around 1965. See the reference below:

Hanson, Health Physics Society Journal, April 1967 - Volume 13 - Issue 4,
Cesium-137 in Alaskan Lichens, Caribou and Eskimos

Levels of Cs-137 were measured up to 100 pCi/gram dried lichen in Alaska in
1965. This equates to 100,000 pCi/kg dried lichen. This was in some samples
of lichen sampled from locations that had Cs-137 deposition of about 50,000
pCi/square meter.

The number claimed in the cited report from Japan near Fukushima was a bit
less than 1,000,000 Bq/kg, or 27,000,000 pCi/kg dried lichen. Anti-nuclear
activists/scaremongers always want to make any measured activity look bigger
to their target audience [other anti-nukes, media, legislators,  and many
members of the public]  by stating any measured activity [which may be
accurate in this case] in terms of activity/kg of media which multiplies any
measured value by 1,000 vs. reporting activity/gram which is appropriate to
a media like lichen.

27,000,000 pCi of Cs-137/kg lichen as claimed in Japan would be about 270
times higher than the 100,000 pCi of Cs-137/kg of lichen at peak fallout
levels measured in Alaska in 1965 [and across the northernmost areas like
Sweden, Norway, and Finland where there is a lot of lichen]. The elevated
levels of Cs-137 in lichen in the 1960s in many areas of the far North
presented an interesting case because caribou there eat large amounts of
lichen. In places like Lapland [the region comprised of near Arctic regions
of Norway, Sweden, and Finland occupied by the indigenous Laplanders or Sami
people] caribou was a major food source for these indiginous Laplanders,  as
they are called who showed very elevated body burdens of Cs-137 during the
1960s which declined over time.

Could the airborne deposition of Cs-137 in isolated areas of Japan be 270
times higher than the generalized areal deposition in Alaska in 1965 from
bomb fallout? Seems reasonable. However, I don't have the data at hand, and
have wasted enough time today.   Does 27E6 pCi Cs-137/kg dried lichen mean
anything other than lichen is an interesting sampling media? Doesn't appear
to be a concern in Japan, even if true ---UNLESS large numbers of caribou
are wandering around Japan near Fukushima eating large amounts of lichen as
a major source of their food, and people in Japan are eating caribou as a
large fraction of their diet! Seems unlikely. Have any caribou been reported
in Japan of late?

Stewart Farber, MSPH
Farber Medical Solutions, LLC
Bridgeport, CT 06604
SAFarber at optonline.net
203-441-8433
=========================

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu
[mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Roger Helbig
Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 6:47 AM
To: RADSAFE
Subject: [ RadSafe ] More Nuclear-News Hype High radiation level at
Fukushima school, even after 'decontamination'

This level of Cesium contamination seems unusally high like someone misread
or just misreported a meter reading.  They are also claiming high number of
birth defects at Fukushima hospital.  They should perhaps check with the
Radiation Effects Research Foundation in Hirsoshima/Nagasaki before taking a
page from the Iraqi propagandists in Fallujah.

Roger Helbig

---------- Forwarded message ----------
New post on nuclear-news

High radiation level at Fukushima school, even after 'decontamination'

by Christina MacPherson

1,000,000 Bq/kg of cesium detected at Fukushima school. after being
'decontaminated' - "It's obvious they will just leave it" - Local
Official y 13th, 2012   By ENENews  July 11, 2012 post by Koichi
Oyama, Minamisoma city council member, translated by Dissensus Japan:

1.000.000 Bq detected in a school after a decontamination conducted!

A University's research team collected lichen at the entrance of the
gymnastic hall of a school that restarted after a decontamination operation,
and the sample measured the Cesium radiation level, 989.000 Bq/Kg.

It's obvious they will just leave it. I told them my ideas at least, but I'm
not sure if this inspired them to do anything. No one makes decision to get
rid of dangers.
I want to believe that at least "school principal" won't leave the danger at
the place where students walk by. I would go there tomorrow
to make sure.   Read the report here

Christina MacPherson | July 14, 2012 at 6:03 am | Categories:
environment, Japan, secrets,lies and civil liberties | URL:
http://wp.me/phgse-6Gb

http://nuclear-news.net/2012/07/14/high-radiation-level-at-fukushima-school-
even-after-decontamination/
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