[ RadSafe ] Nuclear-News Claims Increasing levels of radioactive cesium in Vancouver area

Mon Apr 7 17:36:29 CDT 2014

Vancouver and the NW US are getting a lot of attention from the usual sources on the cesium issue.  Maybe we can have a RadSafe road trip to Vancouver if Busby, MacPherson and Gunderson schedule a joint conference there! 

"Our radioactive ocean" is putting out some interesting data, but they decay correct everything to the event date for purposes of dilution calculations, and this causes one to overestimate the likelihood of any measurable quantity ever being reached on the west coast, unless you "uncorrect" the results.  It seems very likely to me that decay and dilution have already made detection of 134 from Fukushima a moot point.   I must be rather skeptical of any 134 measurements - especially if near the mouth of a river as it flows out to sea from British Columbia! 

Bradly D Keck

> On Apr 3, 2014, at 9:10 AM, Ken Buesseler <kbuesseler at whoi.edu> wrote:
> 
> Roger-
> 
> We have two results so far from Vancouver/Seattle area, from Bamfield BC and Sequim WA, and both show detectable 137Cs at 1.3-1.4 Bq per cubic meter and no detectable 134Cs (less than 0.2 Bq per cubic meter).  The 137Cs is consistent with pre-existing Cs from 1960's fallout, and lack of 134Cs suggests that the Fukushima plume has not yet reached these coastal areas (where they are seeing the star fish dye off's).  These are the facts.
> see http://www.ourradioactiveocean.org/results.html
> 
> Regarding the interview between these two reporters (not scientists), there are many statements that are in error or exaggerated, and ENE uses [....] to exclude any content that they don't want you to read from the interview itself.
> 
> Radioactivity can be of human health concern, but not at the levels we are seeing along the west coast of N. America.
> 
> Sincerely, Ken Buesseler
> 
> 
>> On 4/3/2014 8:36 AM, Roger Helbig wrote:
>> Increasing levels of radioactive cesium in Vancouver area
>> 
>> by Christina MacPherson
>> 
>> Radio: "Surprisingly, high concentrations [of Fukushima cesium] found
>> in Vancouver area" since ocean currents slow down -- Levels are
>> increasing -- "Might be hotspots where radiation concentrates" --
>> "Chances are high for marine life to absorb it... concern about mussels...
>> clams, oysters" (AUDIO)
>> http://enenews.com/radio-surprisingly-high-concentrations-fukushima-cesium-found-vancouver-area-because-movement-ocean-currents-june-last-year-increasing-levels-found-be-hotspots-radiation-concentrate-chances-h?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ENENews+%28Energy+News%29
>> 
>> RED 93.1FM (Vancouver, BC), "The Filipino Edition", Mar. 30, 2014:
>> 
>> At 4:15 in
>> 
>> Joseph Lopez, reporter: In the Vancouver area, as of June last year
>> [...] there are increasing levels of cesium-134, the same isotope
>> released from Fukushima. [...]
>> Irene Querubin, host: I hope we're not slowly dying by that.
>> 
>> At 7:00 in
>> 
>> Lopez: There's a strong current called the Kuroshio current [...] these
>> are highways in the ocean [...] it's one of the strongest water currents
>> [...] and this current passes through Fukushima but it is so strong it
>> helps keep the radiation levels in the Fukushima area lower, it blows
>> it away. [...] These radioactive isotopes, in a slower speed -- because
>> they're slowing down in these areas like Vancouver [...] where the water
>> is not as fast as in the ocean, there's a chance for the radioactive
>> isotopes to settle down and be in the water and possibly be absorbed
>> by bottom feeders. [...] The radioactive isotopes [are] not observed
>> much in Japan, in the Fukushima area, surprisingly [...] but the current
>> pulls it away and acts as a boundary because it's so fast. Once the
>> speed slows down in our area, the chances are high for the marine life
>> to absorb it.
>> 
>> At 11:00 in
>> 
>> Lopez: They're not doing any testing right now, that's why the public
>> should be concerned [...] We don't know why they're not doing it. They
>> should be doing it. [...] It is true that the Pacific Ocean will
>> dilute the radiation, but what they found is there might be hotspots
>> where this radiation might be concentrated. And surprisingly the high
>> concentrations have been found in the Vancouver area because in these
>> waters there's less movement, less speed. [...] I'm surprised that Dr.
>> Smith of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans would categorically
>> state that there's a zero chance of starfish die-off [being related to
>> radioactive contamination]. It's like saying the Titanic will never
>> sink. [...] I would be concerned about mussels as well [...] and clams
>> and oysters, because they are filters. [...] Remember no level of
>> radiation is ever safe.Full broadcast available here
>> 
>> Christina MacPherson | April 3, 2014 at 5:58 am | Categories: Canada,
>> oceans, radiation | URL: http://wp.me/phgse-gWh
>> 
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> -- 
> Ken Buesseler
> Senior Scientist, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
> http://cafethorium.whoi.edu
> Director, Center for Marine and Environmental Radioactivity
> http://www.whoi.edu/CMER
> 508-289-2309
> 
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