[ RadSafe ] Fwd: CTBTO.org

[Chris Alston]

Roger

We don't know what species of Po it is.  If it is Po-210 (t1/2 = 138 d),
the first thing I wonder is what its analogues are, and if certain seafoods
do not concentrate it (before they become sea-"food").  For instance,
tobacco does this, no?

Looking at the website, my first take on it is that they are
well-intentioned, but need more expert advice.  For instance, their "Chart
1" (which actually is a "table") properly should include K-40 (cesium is a
K-analogue) to give a better perspective on the issue.  Then, they seem at
a loss to give radiation risks for xenon, so they note for it a hazard of
asphyxiation, by reason of oxygen-displacement.  This really is grasping at
straws; any gas that is not O presents potentially the same hazard.  And
the last thing anyone will worry about, in the event an "A-bomb" goes off,
will be inhaling so much xenon that their air supply has < 18% oxygen.

Cheers
ca
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Roger Helbig <rwhelbig at gmail.com>
Date: Sun, Aug 16, 2015 at 5:10 AM
Subject: [ RadSafe ] Has Nuclear bomb testing has resulted in radioactive
polonium in seafoods
To: RADSAFE <radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu>
After reading this, I searched for Polonium and found this CTBTO website
https://www.ctbto.org/nuclear-testing/the-effects-of-nuclear-testing/general-overview-of-theeffects-of-nuclear-testing/
and since it cites activist organizations, I wonder how much of the
information that they present on this page is accurate (for example,
how accurate is the following?)
Thanks.
Roger Helbig