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Merged nuclear power safe?

An update from the World Nuclear News...

http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/RS_Warning_on_Tokyo_tap_water_2303112.html
Parents in Tokyo have been recommended to avoid giving tap water to infants under one year of age, although no health effect would be expected. Restrictions on food have also been expanded.

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare reported radioactivity readings in tap water from various parts of Tokyo including 103, 137 and 174 bequerels per kilogram. One measurement for iodine-131 rated 210 becquerels per kilogram.

These remain below the Nuclear Safety Commission of Japan's indices for emergency situations, at present enforced as regulation in Japan. The body has set 300 becquerels per kilogram from iodine-131 or 200 becquerels per kilogram from caesium-137 as the current standards for drinking water that would not cause health effects if consumed for one year. However, there is a separate level of 100 becquerels per kilogram for iodine-131 in milk to be used in baby formula.

With readings falling among the standards, authorities have recommended that parents avoid giving tap water to babies. The ministry said that potential for health effects after using water that temporarily exceeds index values is very low and it is still safe to use if there is no alternative. The water can be used for handwashing, bathing and normal domestic uses. ...
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So, since the half-life of Iodine-131 is only 8 days, I assume that after a few months (80-90 days) this won't be an issue any longer. I think, of course, this assumes the source of the Iodine-131 leaking into the environment is shut off.

ETA: While this issue is of concern, what I posted above doesn't seem to be consistent with some of the hysteria I've seen on this question in the mainstream media of late. Big surprise there :rolleyes:
 
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MattusMaximus said:
An update from the World Nuclear News...

http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/RS_Warning_on_Tokyo_tap_water_2303112.html


So, since the half-life of Iodine-131 is only 8 days, I assume that after a few months (80-90 days) this won't be an issue any longer. I think, of course, this assumes the source of the Iodine-131 leaking into the environment is shut off.

ETA: While this issue is of concern, what I posted above doesn't seem to be consistent with some of the hysteria I've seen on this question in the mainstream media of late. Big surprise there :rolleyes:
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The problem of I-131, in particular for kids and babies, is that it gets incorporated in the thyroid gland, and the whole radiation coming from it gets dumped in one little organ.
 
If you're a mother living in Tokyo, where all the bottled water has already been bought up, then you're very concerned.

Saying that it might not last more than a few days, and that people are reacting hysterically seems a touch insensitive to me.
 
ceptimus said:
If you're a mother living in Tokyo, where all the bottled water has already been bought up, then you're very concerned.
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They shouldn't be. I understand that people will be, because hey, radiation is scary, most people don't know that much about it, and they don't fully trust the authorities. But the fact that they're understandably worried doesn't mean that they're actually at risk. People in Tokyo are not.
 
Meanwhile smoke pours out the plutonium reactor, workers evacuate, and the bright voices of reason talk glowingly of the safety of nuclear power.

It's like a science fiction movie combined with Monty Python.
 
r-j said:
Meanwhile smoke pours out the plutonium reactor, workers evacuate, and the bright voices of reason talk glowingly of the safety of nuclear power.
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You're right, nuclear power isn't safe. I mean, just look at this disaster caused by the earthquake:
Japan-Earthquake-Fire-on-Power-Generation-Station.jpg


Oh, wait, that's a natural gas explosion at an oil refinery.

But maybe wind energy is safer. I mean, how can wind kill?

Oh.
Oh my.

OK, but what about solar?
Nope, still more dangerous.

It's like a science fiction movie combined with Monty Python.
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What an apt description of your posts.
 
r-j said:
Meanwhile smoke pours out the plutonium reactor....
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I shall repeat my comments from post #1593:

According to the Wikipedia page on the plant, all the reactors there except Unit #3 use low enriched uranium in the fuel rods. Unit #3 uses a small percentage (6%) of mixed oxide fuel (MOX) in the fuel rods, which is a blend of uranium and plutonium. (Only a small amount of the blend—about 7%—is plutonium; the rest is uranium.)

Calling it a "plutonium reactor" is, at best, inaccurate, and at worst, deliberately deceptive.
 
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Ziggurat said:
You're right, nuclear power isn't safe. I mean, just look at this disaster caused by the earthquake:
[qimg]http://24sevenpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Japan-Earthquake-Fire-on-Power-Generation-Station.jpg[/qimg]

Oh, wait, that's a natural gas explosion at an oil refinery.
Click to expand...

Hey, no worries! In fact, that's nothing more than just an oversized Zippo, you know ... As long as there is no radiation involved, everything will be alright.

Greetings,

Chris
 
Ziggurat said:
You're right, nuclear power isn't safe. I mean, just look at this disaster caused by the earthquake:
[qimg]http://24sevenpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Japan-Earthquake-Fire-on-Power-Generation-Station.jpg[/qimg]
Click to expand...

Well if you want to touch on the topic of gas accidents talk San Juanico México

San Juanico (rather graphic)

I know a lady who lived close by. She ran out her home to find people waiting for "tortillas" blown and charred on the street.
 
That's right. Fires happen, they get put out. Floods happen, we rebuild. Hurricanes, droughts, tornadoes. People die all the time. The thing is, there is an end to those events. And you can start rebuilding, go back to living.

This nuclear horror doesn't end.
 
r-j said:
That's right. Fires happen, they get put out. Floods happen, we rebuild. Hurricanes, droughts, tornadoes. People die all the time. The thing is, there is an end to those events. And you can start rebuilding, go back to living.

This nuclear horror doesn't end.
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http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/index.htm

google and learn...this stuff has always been way more scary as it doesn't go away...nuclear does.

glenn
 
r-j said:
That's right. Fires happen, they get put out. Floods happen, we rebuild. Hurricanes, droughts, tornadoes. People die all the time. The thing is, there is an end to those events. And you can start rebuilding, go back to living.

This nuclear horror doesn't end.
Click to expand...
Meanwhile in the real world, the nuclear leak might be contained and essentially neutralised, if they keep on with the efforts.

Radiation doesn't last forever, and if dealt with well can be cleared up without an issue.
 
Corsair 115 said:
I shall repeat my comments from post #1593:

According to the Wikipedia page on the plant, all the reactors there except Unit #3 use low enriched uranium in the fuel rods. Unit #3 uses a small percentage (6%) of mixed oxide fuel (MOX) in the fuel rods, which is a blend of uranium and plutonium. (Only a small amount of the blend—about 7%—is plutonium; the rest is uranium.)

Calling it a "plutonium reactor" is, at best, inaccurate, and at worst, deliberately deceptive.
Click to expand...

The scare tactics around MOX are dismaying...

For info: All commercial light water reactors will have some plutonium. As the fuel cycle progresses, the reactor will breed Pu from U238. It just doesn't breed as much as a fast breeder reactor. Typically, there is a breeding ration of about 0.7. So, at the end of a fuel cycle about 30 to 50% of the power from the reactor will be from Pu depending on the length of the fuel cycle. There will always be Pu in the spent fuel. With MOX, Pu is just a "substitute" for the uranium 235, but the fuel will still breed some Pu as the cycle progresses. The plant has too be modified a bit because Pu is a bit more reactive. In the US, we are buring Pu from Russian weapons to get rid of the stuff.

glenn
 
r-j said:
That's right. Fires happen, they get put out. Floods happen, we rebuild. Hurricanes, droughts, tornadoes. People die all the time. The thing is, there is an end to those events. And you can start rebuilding, go back to living.

This nuclear horror doesn't end.
Click to expand...

You really know nothing about radio-chemistry do you...
 
Alferd_Packer said:
this doesn't make much sense
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/wor...13-times-at-japanese-nuclear-plant-53454.html
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No, it doesn't. It's not clear what they mean: Did the dose from neutrons go up 0.01 or 0.02 microSv/hr, or was it absolute (I read the original article, which was horribly googletranslated)? If the latter, it's a very small dose. Two things: 1) If this small neutron dose comes from Pu contamination, there should be a LOT alpha. Did they check these? Why not? After all, a lot of alpha is easier to measure than a bit of neutron (with the equipment they should have at hand). 2) If this is absolute dose, then it should be right at the detection or background limit (not entirely clear). So it could be simply a calibration/instrumentation error. (Most info I got from the comments here).

(Edit: When I studied for my physics diploma, we had to do a radiation lab course. One class in this course was a neutron class. We had a small neutron source, in the middle of a big bucket of water lined with a boron spiked material. Forgot what exactly the source was. The main goal of the class was to irradiate a small metal test body, and then measure the decay curve of this test body. But there was also a bit of other things. One of the other things was a neutron detector. That thing was easily the most sucky to use in the whole course. You had to move it away all the time and neutralize background, then move it back in, repeat, repeat, repeat... to get a good enough reading. Alphas, OTOH, even the low activity sources we were only allowed limited access to, were incredibly easy, if you had a suitable detector.)
 
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