[ RadSafe ] HHS purchase of 14 million KI tablets

[parthasarathy k s]

Mike Brennan,

you may recall that KI is hygroscopic. I am not sure whether by sealing it in a plastic container will keep it dry. Is the container in the form of an envelope which covers each tablet?

I understand that in India the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) is using potassium iodate instead of KI. Potassium iodate is not hygroscopic and has higher shelf life. 

Warm regards
Parthasarathy





On Tuesday, 7 January 2014, 2:41, "Brennan, Mike (DOH)" <Mike.Brennan at DOH.WA.GOV> wrote:
 
I have never seen a convincing explanation why KI tablets in sealed
containers have an expiration date.  It makes about as much sense and
NaCl having an expiration date.

It would be interesting to see what isotopes are in the steam that has
been released recently at Fukushima.  If there was noticeable amounts of
I-131 it would be very surprising.  If there isn't, then connecting the
purchase of KI to the steam becomes problematic.  

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu
[mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Milligan,
Patricia
Sent: Monday, January 06, 2014 12:51 PM
To: radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu
Subject: [ RadSafe ] HHS purchase of 14 million KI tablets

There has been a lot of discussion in the "blog" world and beyond of the
recent proposal by HHS to acquire 14 million potassium iodide tablets in
2014.  This has been linked by many to the steam appearing at Fukushima
and the seismic events that recently occurred in that region.  The
Nuclear Regulatory Commission has a long standing "KI" program where KI
tablets are distributed to requesting states.  All tablets come with a
finite shelf-life and as such the stockpiles must be replenished
periodically.  In the past, the NRC has managed its own procurement and
has purchased close to 28 to 30 million tablets to date.   For the
tablets "expiring" in 2014, the NRC has contracted with HHS  procurement
office to purchase and ship the required KI tablets (14 million in 2014)
to the various States with expired/expiring stockpiles.  The HHS
procurement is simply the normal and routine  replenishment process for
NRC supplied KI state stockpiles.  

For example:

http://www.globalresearch.ca/is-the-government-stockpiling-iodine-in-pre
paration-for-fukushima-meltdown/5363602
http://www.globalresearch.ca/government-official-hangs-up-when-asked-abo
ut-iodide-purchase/5363630
https://www.google.com/#q=hhs+ki+14+million

Thank you,

Trish

Patricia A. Milligan, CHP, RPh
Senior Level Advisor for Preparedness and Response Office of Nuclear
Security and Incident Response US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Three
White Flint North MS 3WFN-09D-14
11601 Landsdown St.
North Bethesda, MD  20852
301-287-3739


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