[ RadSafe ] New Meltdown Byproduct Found Far From Fukushima Daiichi

[Roger Helbig]

This looked like it might be solid scientific article, then I noted
that it was discussed on RADSAFE three years ago, so it is hardly new
and I found no actual scientific journal article.  It also has been
put out by Gundersen's Faire Winds so I wonder just how solid the
science is.

Roger Helbig

---------- Forwarded message ----------
New Meltdown Byproduct Found Far From Fukushima Daiichi

by dunrenard (French anti-nuclear activist who never seems to use his
real name - typical of activists - never stand behind what they claim
to be true because someone could disprove it)

Another type of material has been found by researchers that is tied to
the meltdowns at Fukushima Daiichi. We have reported extensively over
the years on the finding of “black stuff” around mainland Japan. This
is a highly radioactive black sand like material that had gathered in
gutters and roads as far away as Tokyo. Analysis of materials of that
type has linked them to the meltdowns inside the reactors at Fukushima
Daiichi. This new finding is also linked directly to the reactor
meltdowns.

Photo of black sand substances found in Namie, from research paper by
Marco Kaltofan. Photo credit Marco Kaltofan.

Researchers in Japan found new materials they described as tiny
spherical glass particle that was highly radioactive. These glass
particles are structurally quite different from the “black stuff” but
they also bear a link back to the reactor meltdowns. A glass particle
labeled NWC-1 was collected from Nihonmatsu in 2011 after the initial
disaster. Nihonmatsu is roughly 40-45 km directly west of Fukushima
Daiichi. The town area sits south of Fukushima City and north of
Koriyama. This area is well outside the evacuation zone and is
currently occupied without restriction.

These glass particles include high levels of radioactive cesium.
Researchers found that the radioactivity was highest in the center of
the particle, indicating the cesium was incorporated into the glass
particle during the molten phase of the meltdown. The glass particle
also contains materials that indicate it includes either concrete from
the containment vessel or seawater that was injected. This is
significant as it shows this material was formed after the melted fuel
burned through the reactor vessel and had begun burning the
containment vessel concrete floor, or it formed after seawater was
injected. The seawater injections were fairly late in the meltdown
progression and newer research shows all or most of that water flowed
the wrong direction and didn’t make it to the reactor vessels. The
timing of the creation of these glass spheres would be between the
time of the first reactor vessel failure and the start of seawater
injection then thereafter. This may help in the future to identify the
specific reactor and event that may have created these spheres.

Photo of the glass sphere from Nihonmatsu, from the Yamaguchi et al study.

Cross section of the NWC-1 glass sphere from Nihonmatsu, photo credit
Yamaguchi et al.
The location of the found particle in Nihonmatsu is unexpected. A
second glass sphere was found on a cedar leaf in Fukushima, specific
area not mentioned. Nihonmatsu is directly west of the plant and not
in the documented plume paths that developed north-west and south of
the disaster site. This appears to indicate that materials from the
reactors themselves were transported far further than initially
claimed. These glass particles are small enough in size to potentially
be inhaled. Right now researchers do not know the extent or geographic
spread of this material. It does show that direct materials from
inside the reactors did leave the buildings and were distributed over
a long distance. Due to the high radioactivity within these glass
spheres they could pose a significant health risk.

We put together a rough comparison of the properties of the two
reactor meltdown byproducts. This is not a definitive list. Please
refer to the original studies for further information.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1RAbsClYl3KIZkHeI1don3Zfe_AYBKF_vW3C7tWlIpXw/edit?usp=sharing
Full Study:
Yamaguchi, N. et al.
Internal structure of cesium-bearing radioactive microparticles
released from Fukushima nuclear power plant.
Sci. Rep. 6, 20548; doi: 10.1038/srep20548 (2016).
Black Stuff Analysis:
Radiological Analysis of Namie Street Dust
Marco Kaltofan

Source: http://www.fukuleaks.org/web/?p=15283

http://nuclear-news.net/2016/02/06/new-meltdown-byproduct-found-far-from-fukushima-daiichi/