(UPDATE) TEPCO Nuclear's tweet from 30 minutes ago says they finished the release at 12:42PM. 561 tonnes in total.
Again, the groundwater is NOT highly radioactive, as it is drawn before it enters the reactor buildings.
Cesium-134: 0.022 Bq/L
Cesium-137: 0.039 Bq/L
All alpha (including plutonium): ND
All beta (including strontium): ND
Strontium-90: 0.011 Bq/L
Tritium: 230 Bq/L
--------------------------
Having secured the consent from the Fukushima fishermen with the help from the national government (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, which is still in charge of oversight), TEPCO has started releasing the groundwater drawn from the wells before the water reaches the reactor buildings and gets contaminated heavily.
According to TEPCO's alert for the press (5/21/2014),
Release of the groundwater started at 10:25AM on May 21, 2014. The groundwater had been drawn from the groundwater bypass wells and stored in the temporary storage tank.
About 560 tonnes of water will be released today.
The area patrol was done at 10:30AM, and we confirmed there was no leak or other abnormalities [along the pipes].
本日（５月21日）午前10時25分、福島第一原子力発電所において地下水バイパス揚水井から一時貯留タンクに汲み上げていた地下水について、海洋へ排水を開始いたしました。
本日は約560トンの排水を予定しております。
排水状況については、午前10時30分にパトロールを実施し、漏えい等の異常がないことを確認しております。
NHK says the release is from the South Drainage Outlet, which is located south of the plant harbor. That means the water is directly going into the ocean.
As to the contamination levels of the water (which was drawn in April), TEPCO released the nuclide analysis done by both TEPCO and a third-party laboratory (Japan Chemical Analysis Center), as per agreement with the fishermen in Fukushima.
The result of nuclide analysis of the groundwater, from TEPCO (5/14/2014; English labels are by me):
(click to enlarge)
Tritium, measured by Japan Chemical Analysis Center, is 230 Bq/L. The rest of radionuclides, including alpha nuclides, are in negligible amounts or ND.
From my post on 8/21/2013, locations of the wells to draw groundwater (map from TEPCO, annotation by Kontan_Bigcat):
The wells in dark blue circles, pipes to transport the water to the ocean in yellow.
The red circle above marks the H4 tank area where highly contaminated (beta nuclides) wastewater (after reverse osmosis treatment) was found leaked in August 2013.
You can also see the South Drainage Outlet in the upper right corner.
30-Day free trial by following the link.
Tokyo Time
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44 comments:
I didn't know that the fishermen of Fukushima are in charge of the Pacific.
Gives a whole new meaning to 'pump and dump', although the mentality of Tepco and govt is probably not so different from those rogue traders.
Must be the plan to sell the fish to 3rd world desperates is not profitable enough.
Now the Japanese will pay their "debt" to these fishermen.
Well, the US and Soviet Russia acted like they were in charge of the atmosphere and oceans when they were detonating nuke bombs in the air.
Anon at 5:25AM, fish from Iwaki are sold at a premium within Japan.
Fish from iwaki sold at a premium???
Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Now I've heard everything. Truth is indeed stranger than fiction.
So is some shill organisation artificially boosting the prices?
Certain fish from Iwaki has always been sold at a premium.
It was not likely the fishermen's and beef cattle ranchers would settle easy into having their products shunned, areva.
Their products are being eagerly bought and consumed by consumers who have been waiting for three years, contrary to popular belief outside Japan. Don't worry, they are not exported, as they have never been.
The consumers are like lambs willingly queuing for the slaughter. They have short memories clouded.
Itai-Itai
Minimata
Niigata
And now Fukushima
Each time the corporations responsible tried to deny responsibility
Each time the government tried to downplay the health threats
Each time people needlessly suffered and died directly as a result of the poisoning.
Iwaki fish??? You gotta be joking. Have the Japanese all gone stark raving mad?
"Their products are being eagerly bought and consumed by consumers who have been waiting for three years .. "
Waiting for Tepco to release "funding", see taxpayers' rate increases and bailout monies, to jigger social dynamics statistics. Right, got it. A dimension of right to choose.
see this: "Iwaki fish??? You gotta be joking."
With a will to self-destruction the Japanese "consumers" mow-down on contaminated, Russian roulette-type seafoods.
Bonsoir;
Et si vous vous exprimiez en Français ?! Juste pour communiquer avec ceux qui lisent ? À moins que les traductions se soient égarées ?...
Dans mon texte précédent j'ai écrit : "Et si vous vous exprimiez en Français" point d' interrogation. "Juste pour communiquer avec ceux qui lisent" encore un point d'interrogation. "À moins que les traductions se soient égarées" point d'interrogation. Et je n'ai PAS écrit Verser ni de majuscules à tous les mots.
Bon j'arrête là sur ce blog puisque les écrits sont déformés...
@anon au dessus :
Tout est tres bien écrit.
Je ne vois pas ce que tu vois de déformé ? Tes yeux ? lol
;-)
Sinon, je pensais qu'il y avait un traducteur en Français quelque part sur le web.
ça fait peut être un moment depuis qu'il est passé...
"With a will to self-destruction the Japanese "consumers" mow-down on contaminated, Russian roulette-type seafoods."
Welcome back to the forum Mr. Busby.
On Russian roulette: my name is not Busby but I tend to agree than fish and produce from Fukushima are Russian-roulette food. I still buy from western Japan, just because I'd better be safe than sorry.
It is odd to have to explain the concept of Russian roulette here, especially when nuclear generation itself is a russian roulette that blows off a reactor every 10 years on average (TMI+Chernobyl+4@Fuku1 over 60 years of technology track record). Anyways, here I go.
When consequences are not grave "Russian roulette" is common in engineering: whenever industry tests the safety of a component on a statistical basis (e.g. try to break 1 every 100 manifactured components) we are playing "Russian roulette" because still you are not 100% sure the other 99 components will not break under a load lower than design. Again, this is fine if breakage is somehow tolerable.
Similarly, Fukushima food is tested on a statistical basis so we are not sure the food they did not test is not contaminated. However for Fukushima food it is worse because 1) the people carrying out the test have a vested interest at getting the food pass the test and 2) if the contaminated food is eaten they will not be tracked back and sanctioned (if one of your car brakes fails you will definitely find out and complain to its manifacturer).
Whenever the consequences of the failure of a manifactured component are relevant (e.g. aviation) each and every component is tested; no Russian roulette in this case. This kind of testing is called non destructive testing and is obviously more expensive but people feel it is worth the cost.
My opinion is that buying food from contaminated areas (Fukushima and a few other prefectures) is indeed playing Russian-roulette so I'd rather buy from elsewhere and I feel it is well worth the extra cost.
Beppe
Speaking of Busby... it's that time of the year when coastal fog envelops Fuku-I nuke plant. He should be screaming "recriticality!" or "ocean is boiling!" pretty soon.
Anon@11:46
Get a life!
...what's left of it
Anon at 12:25AM, same to you, Dr. Busby.
10:29
Hahahahahahahahahaha
You feel better now?
We'll enjoy it for now cos you gonna feel a LOT worse before this mess is cleaned up.
All the health insurance in the world won't help you when the big C takes a bite out of your sorry arse.
Bon apetit!
After three years, I'm so sick of these people who wish nothing but ill. Like the one above me.
12:36
'After three years I'm so sick'
Fixed your post for you.
@12:36
Has it ever occurred to you that after three years, the rest of the world might be sick and tired of listening to and observing Japan's incompetent, lying bullshit?
Didn't think so
I don't think the world per se cares, after 3 years.
The world lost interest after all the promises mass death failed to materialize. Sadly, it looks as if there are still a few who are holding onto the perverse hope for the last prediction to come true.
It is also unfortunate that people mention "Japan's incompetent, lying bullshit", while giving a free pass to the lying, incompetent bullshit of those who predicted such dire consequences as plutonium explosions, collapsing fuel pools, and self-combusting fuel rods.
@2:42
I'd laugh at your comment if it weren't so sad.
You speak as if all the danger is in the past when the reality is that all the manifestation of the danger is yet to appear.
It took 5 years for cancers to metastise as a result of Chernobyl radiation. I think you might be a little early in calling Fukushima a storm in a teacup.
It's not over, it's hardly just begun.
Thus a thread's post count grows, with yet another misguided comment coupled with a vague, dire prediction.
I never said it was a storm in a teacup. That is a fabrication on your part. I said that every dramatic outcome that was predicted by those on the fringe of science, and even those on the fringe of the establishment (Michio Kaku, for example) was wrong, yet no one holds them accountable for their lies or their fear-mongering (or, as someone said on this site, "fear porn").
Now you are adding to the background noise "the danger has just begun". You are welcome to believe that, but forgive me if I don't join you in your hand-wringing.
Increase in cancer incidence as a result of radiation exposure is a well-studied field of medicine and science. It is not a mystery. It is not pseudo-science. It is not alchemy or geomancy. We know the likely increase in cancer as a result of certain doses of radiation. At the radiation levels measured at various locations in Japan, by various institutions in Japan (official and unofficial), we can make predictions in the the cancer incidence. All children from Fukushima are being regularly tested for thyroid cancer - which is what I suspect you are alluding to in your Chernobyl comment, I don't deny the potential for thyroid cancer in children to increase - and I do follow the news of this very closely. And, as you will know, the several tens of children who have already been diagnosed with thyroid cancer in Fukushima are the subject of a lot of interest. Since we know that thyroid cancer to metastasize, we have to look at the potential harm caused by over-diagnosing, or we have to rethink what we know about metastasize rates. The potential for further increase in thyroid cancer of the children of that region is very real. However, the potential rise in cancer from 0.039 bq/l of cesium, or 230 bq/l of tritium (which is the level discussed in this particular story posted by Primavera) is infinitesimally small.
> edit
"Since we know that it takes 5 years for thyroid cancer to metastasize, we have to look at the potential harm caused by over-diagnosing..."
In addition, I agree with Anon @ 12:36: I too find the relentless tide of people eager for the death count to rise to be a bit bizarre. "All the health insurance in the world won't help you when the big C takes a bite out of your sorry arse"... what a horrible sentiment to wish on anyone (not to mention factually incorrect). The Japanese insurance scheme takes care of cancer patients very well. And the most likely cancer to arise from Fukushima, thyroid cancer, as horrible as it must be, is rarely fatal when treated properly, as the Japanese are doing.
Anon @ 3:00 - Your analogy of russian-roulette is ridiculous. Since no food can be 100% tested unless you have a spectrometer next to your fork, you (me, we, all of humanity) can never be sure any of the food we put into our mouths isn't contaminated by something or another. Even with very stringent standards (which Japan has right now) there will be some radionuclides found in any food. No country or region adopts a zero tolerance policy. So every human on earth is, by your definition, playing russian roulette. But you are not talking about statistics and probability when you use a phrase like "russian roulette". You are talking about suicidal behavior. It is a scare tactic.
What makes me so despairing and angry is to hear people like 2:28, 2:38 mad 2:45 talk about the consequences of Fukushima as if they were a necessary evil.
Pretty much all of the radionuclides found in food are man-made over the last 60 years.
Given the clear evidence of the mutagenic properties of ionising radiation, and given the absence of consensus on the linear no-threshold dose effect, (as well as such nonsense like hormesis hypothesy), one would think that the wise move might be to avoid 'unnecessary' exposure to 'additional' ionising radiation until such time as a statistically conclusive scale of effect is accepted.
The argument that there is nothing to fear from Fukushima releases of ionizing materials seems to be based largely upon the fear of economic consequences. Well, that ship sailed my friends. The piper will be paid for his tune irregardless of how much you may object to the music.
To call those who choose to take an opposite pragmatic view to that of your own, 'scare mongers' is to demonstrate the frailty of your beliefs and the faulty reasoning behind your arguments.
It is not schadenfreude to face the probability head on, that cancer ràtes will directly rise significantly as a result of FD. Neither is it a scare tactic to suggest that certain foods and water from certain areas might significantly increase the likelihood of suffering from a pretty nasty disease.
Even if is true that Japan has some of the world's best cancer treatment centres (and they better have), the effects of cancer still has to be suffered before a cure is possibly achieved.and fwiw, the cure rate for any cancer has never been 100%.
The treatment for any malignant cancer is neither trivial nor pleasant as a moments' research into reality would tell you.
Furthermore, to attempt to counter the endless deceit of the Japanese government and Tepco by talking about the bullshit of Chris Busby et al is simply ridiculous. I do not support Mr Busby's stance, nevertheless, it would be a fool who would attempt to lay the blame for this disaster at his doorstep.
People are afraid, they have a right to be afraid.
People are angry, they have every right to be angry not only at the disaster itself, but at the persistant dissembling of those responsible.
Lives have been irrevocably changed. Homelands have been lost in some instances for probably hundreds or thousands of years.
The true depth of the disaster is as yet unknown. Coriums actively bleeding into the groundwater and Pacific will not stop doing so for decades. Hot particles actively being released from FD ditto. And the endless cycle of weather will stir up and recirculate those poisons already released over a very wide area.
All we do know, is that the book is far from closed as far as the net result from Fukushima Daichi. Things will get probably quite a lot worse before they eventually get better,and it is unlikely that things will get 'better' either in your or my lifetime.
The cat is well and truly out of the bag and there is no magic bullet able to put him back in the bag.
So if you want to eat govt sponsored Fukushima produce, by all means go ahead - it is a free world. But how dare you try prevent others from choosing to ameliorate additional risk by avoiding those foods that might be perceived as increasing the burden of risk.
Incorrect and mawkishly emotional.
The vast majority of radionulides found anywhere are common, naturally occurring radionuclies such as isotopes of potassium, radium, uranium. Tritium occurs in nature as a result of cosmic rays.
The discussion was never about reducing unnecessary exposure to radiation. The discussion is about the characterization of Japanese as being lambs led to slaughter, and the likening of the consumption of seafood to playing russian roulette. Both of these are horrific, melodramatic images designed to elicit fear. Or, maybe they were just ignorant, insensitive comments. I don't know. I don't care. They deserve condemnation.
Had any of the posters simply said that reducing unnecessary risk is a wise thing, who could find fault with that? The problem is they do not suggest that. They suggest that Japan will suffer great, catastrophic consequences, and can barely contain their anticipation of a body count. Usually its coupled with some mildly racist overtones (those crazy Japanese, those docile, ignorant Japanese). Despicable.
You may suggest that food and water from certain areas will significantly increase the likelihood of suffering from a pretty nasty disease, but without evidence to back up your claim, without any reason for believing such an extraordinary claim, you deserve to be challenged on it. You think a tritium count of 230 bq/l will "significantly increase the likelihood of suffering from a pretty nasty disease"? I would be keen to know what you base this wild assumption on, because you would be in a minority of one, and other posters deserve to know this.
The same goes for the posters who wish cancer upon other posters. You may decide that this is a reasonable thing for one human to wish upon another human. Fair enough. You live with that decision, but I'm not going to have any part of it.
I never blamed Busby for this disaster. To suggest that I did is another lie. Call it a gross error if it makes you feel better. I do blame him for lying about projected body counts and for sowing seeds of dread based on his own unique brand of pseudo-science. But on these boards it seems the only lies that are worthy of condemnation are Tepco's. When the fear porn hucksters go to work, they get a free pass, apparently.
But, as you say, people have right to be afraid, the same way they have a right to live in ignorance, I suppose. The best way to overcome this is to shine the light of truth and reason upon the unknown. You don't seem to like this course of action. This is OK for you, but I won't be deterred from calling ignorance and scaremongering for what it is.
Fear porn???
Too much manga maybe for you.
You keep coming back to the trivial detail whilst avoiding the pertinent.
Yes, I agree that the current tritium level of 230bq/l IF MEASURED CORRECTLY will probably not add significantly to the 'body count'
However, where there is Tritium, there are a host of other radionuclides, some of which are extremely hazardous in minute quantities, some of which have biological half lives well in excess of a human life span. In other words, you ingest them and they are with you for life doing their damage bequerel by bequerel.
And where do you get the foolish notion that 'the vast majority of radionuclides found anywhere are ...naturally occurring' show me The stats for naturally occurring Strontium 90, ditto plutonium isotopes, or iodine isotopes, or chlorine isotopes, or any of the hundreds of dangerous isotopes only created within manmade nuclear fission plants. Hmmm maybe you want to use that laughable banana equivalent with potassium isotopes? Well, potassium does not bioaccumulate in the body like strontium or plutonium do.
How about the Cesium? Got a convenient answer for that? Didn't think so.
The current scientifically accepted theory is the zero threshold low does tolerance model - effectively, any dose no matter how small causes some damage on the cellular level.
Perhaps you haven't considered that ingested doses of ionising radiation (especially when bioaccumulating) might be a whole lot more harmful than skin surface exposure.
How many hot particles of plutonium did you breathe in today? How many are now permanentły lodged in your lungs? Don't know? Well you can bet the actuaries will take a view when it comes to rising insurance costs.
Sufficient air filters have been analysed by sufficient numbers of impartial academics to conclusively determine that a very large amount of R3's fuel payload was aerosolised. Incredibly 'hot' fragments of nuclear FUEL where found over 400km away from Fukushima. You just go ahead and try to tell the world that 230 Bq/ l of tritium isn't much whilst conveniently omitting the salient 'killer details' (how's that for your fear porn huh?)
Mawkish? Sentimental? Well some of us obviously value the quality of our lives and rêlationships more than others.
You on the other hand exhibit all the hubristic idiocy shown by those who planned and operated Fukushima proudly proclaiming Nuclear energy to be cheap and safe.
Well now you'll have your empirical proof that it is the most expensive energy source ôn the planet. AND. THE MOST TOXIC
Regular air pollution kills 7 million people per year according to a recent report by the WHO, so nuclear power is not the most toxic source of energy.
Anon @ 7:31
You say I keep coming back to trivial detail. In fact, I keep coming back to what my original posts said; that hyperbole, ignorance, and fear-mongering were to be rejected at every step. That armed with correct information, one not need fear the headlines coming out of an alarmist press, or an alarmist bulletin board. That posters who wished death upon a people, or upon other posters ought to be confronted outright. That it isn't only Tepco who is trying to deceive people, to manipulate them, to frighten them. You think this is trivial. Again, I don't care, other than when you attempt to put words in my mouth or claim I made assertions that I never made.
Any other argument you wish to push is surplus to what I originally wrote, but if you wish to press on, I'm at your service.
I am extremely suspicious of your assertion that where there is tritium there are "a host of other radionuclides". In fact, I think its a made-up fact. A lie, if you will, although by now I am well used to this. However, if you have any evidence of your belief that wherever there is tritium there is also, for example, plutonium or strontium - which seem to be the two you are alluding to - I would be keen to see it. The test results I have seen from various services in Japan show either no trace of strontium or plutonium in food, or they show such minute traces as to be indestinguishable from background (or from past atmospheric testing of bombs).
I'm surprised you think its "foolish" that the vast majority of radionuclides found on earth are naturally ocurring. I'm surprised you might think that something as relatively exotic as plutonium might be more abundant than potassium 40 or uranium 238. Or, have I misunderstood you? Do you really think there is more plutonium than radon or potassium on earth? Or do you think it is only man-made radionuclides that have the potential to harm? Again, it is another example (as if I needed another) where science and knowledge are discarded in favor of an ignorant and unthinking dread. Dismiss, if you like, the 4000 potassium-40 atoms that are disintegrating in the human body every second, but don't try to con everyone into thinking that only made mane radionuclides are harmful. Potassium-40 is a constant source of radiation in our bodies. Constant. And each disintegration has the potential to cause cancer. Only we do not live our lives dreading these 4000 disintegrations per second, not because they are benign, but because the harm is on an infinetessimally small scale, so small as to be inconsequential. As to your assertion that plutonium bioaccumulates in humans, I am keen to see the study that demonstrates this. To my knowledge there is none.
I have so far ignored the repeated hysterics of "hot particles" (found in filters!) as the scientific community does not share Arnie Gundersen's view of these. But it has become clear where you derive most of your unsubstantiated fears. Likewise, there are no credible sources for your claim of hot fragments of "nuclear fuel" found 400 kms away from Fukushima. There is no serious discussion of this because it is fantasy. But Arnie and Enenews and Fukushima Diary get much mileage out of such fantasies because they pander to a gullible, fearful, ignorant public. In any event, if you are able to casually dismiss a well-established and peer-reviewed concept such as hormesis, you will forgive me if I casually dismiss the highy suspect and non-peer reviewed subject of "hot particles in air filters". But please direct me to such sources if you have them.
The rest of your post, where you call me idiotic, where you insinuate that I don't value life, where you ask how many hot particles I breathed in today, I will leave for others to judge.
Gundersen's so-called "hot particle" is couple of decades out of date.
You seem to think that the absence of data or research entitles you to proclaim 'all is well'
Remember the guy who jumped off a skyscraper and was asked halfway down how he was doing? 'So far, so good' is only good until fantasy meets reality.
Whilst the science of nuclear physics is still relatively young, nevertheless there are a variety of well researched and peer reviewed papers documenting the dangers of ionising radiation and bioaccumulation, for instance:
Bioaccumulation of plutonium in humans
Filipy et al. (2003) reported plutonium concentrations in bone samples collect at autopsy from eight individuals for the United States Transuranium and Uranium Registries (USTUR). The USTUR documents levels and distribution of uranium and transuranium isotopes in human tissues for occupationally exposed workers who donate their bodies to science (USTUR 2003). Plutonium levels were measured in various bone samples: clavicle; patella; ribs (5–10); sternum; and vertebrae (T5–L3). 238Pu concentrations ranged from 0.146 (clavicle) to 82.7 (sternum) Bq/kg (3.95–2,240 pCi/kg) dry weight. 239Pu concentrations ranged from 0.441 (patella) to 398.0 (vertebrae) Bq/kg (11.9–
10,800 pCi/kg) dry weight. 241Pu concentrations ranged from 0.850 (sternum) to 25.2 (sternum) Bq/kg (23–681 pCi/kg) dry weight (Filipy et al. 2003). Ivanova et al. (1995) measured plutonium concentrations in lungs, tracheobronchial lymph nodes (TLN), liver, and bone in 59 individuals who lived in the areas of the Bryansk region of Russia that was contaminated by the Chernobyl accident. Average concentrations of 238,239,240Pu in lung, TLN, liver, and bone tissue were 0.060, 0.530, 0.070, and
0.070 Bq/kg (1.6, 14, 1.9, and 1.9 pCi/kg) dry weight, respectively (Ivanova et al. 1995).
Peer reviewed analysis of Transuranic isotopes in air filters post Fukushima:
Measurements of Fission Products from the Fukushima Daiichi Incident in San Francisco Bay Area Air Filters, Automobile Filters, Rainwater, and Food
A.R. Smith, K.J. Thomas, E.B. Norman, D.L. Hurley, B.T. Lo, Y.D. Chan, P.V. Guillaumon, B.G. Harvey
(Submitted on 27 Dec 2013)
A variety of environmental media were analyzed for fallout radionuclides resulting from the Fukushima nuclear accident by the Low Background Facility (LBF) at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) in Berkeley, CA. Monitoring activities in air and rainwater began soon after the onset of the March 11, 2011 tsunami and are reported here through the end of 2012. Observed fallout isotopes include 131I, 132I,132Te,134Cs, 136Cs, and 137Cs. Isotopes were measured on environmental air filters, automobile filters, and in rainwater. An additional analysis of rainwater in search of 90Sr is also presented. Last, a series of food measurements conducted in September of 2013 are included due to extended media concerns of 134,137Cs in fish. Similar measurements of fallout from the Chernobyl disaster at LBNL, previously unpublished publicly, are also presented here as a comparison with the Fukushima incident. All measurements presented also include natural radionuclides found in the environment to provide a basis for comparison.
You say no Strontium 90 of note has been detected in Japanese foodstuffs without also explaining that measurement of Strontium 90 is a long and painstaking process. It's not as simple as just putting the substance to be tested in front of any scintillation measuring device. The simple fact is that foodstuffs by and large ARE NOT being tested for Strontium 90. One could be forgiven for also being sceptical of any Tepco or govt official testing of Strontium 90 when recent history has shown both to be quite inept at producing accurate and fair measurements. The measurements ALWAYS erred on the low side... I wonder why?
Meanwhile The process of bioaccumulation of strontium 90 in a variety of organisms has been well researched and reviewed particularly with respect to marine life. Given the widespread consumption of a variety of seafood one might be forgiven for voicing grave concern.
Given the historic deceit of Tepco and govt one should expect that people have a Given the historic deceit of Tepco and govt one should expect that people have a desire to form their own opinions. Never has investigative journalism been so much in need.
For instance:
Per Reuters in February 2014
'Tepco took months to release record strontium readings at Fukushima'
(Reuters) - The operator of Japan's wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant knew about record high measurements of a dangerous isotope in groundwater at the plant for five months before telling the country's nuclear watchdog, a regulatory official told Reuters.
Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco) said late on Wednesday it detected 5 million becquerels per liter of radioactive strontium-90 in a sample from a groundwater well about 25 meters from the ocean last September. That reading was more than five times the broader all-beta radiation reading taken at the same well two months earlier.
A Tepco spokesman said there was uncertainty about the reliability and accuracy of the September strontium reading, so the utility decided to re-examine the data.
Shinji Kinjo, head of a Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) taskforce on contaminated water issues at Fukushima, told Reuters he had not heard about the record high strontium reading until this month. "We did not hear about this figure when they detected it last September," he said. "We have been repeatedly pushing Tepco to release strontium data since November. It should not take them this long to release this information."
Or from the Japan Times of earlier this year:
Record strontium-90 level in Fukushima groundwater sample last July
KYODO/JIJI
FEB 7, 2014
FUKUSHIMA – Tepco says a groundwater sample taken from a well at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant last July contained a record high 5 million becquerels per liter of radioactive strontium-90.
Want more peer reviewed academic data about the release of radioisotopes into the environment as a direct result of Fukushima?
How about:
Release of plutonium isotopes from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident
Jian ZHENG*, Keiko TAGAMI, and Shigeo UCHIDA
Research Center for Radiation Protection, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Anagawa 4-9-1, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan *jzheng@nirs.go.jp
The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident has caused serious contamination in the environment. In this work, we summarize and analyze published studies related to the release of Pu from the FDNPP accident using environmental sample analysis and ORIGEN model simulation. Our analysis focuses on several aspects: first, the investigation of the distribution of Pu isotopes derived from the FDNPP accident in the environment; second, the determination of Pu isotopic composition of the FDNPP-derived Pu in the environment; third, the identification of sources of Pu release in the FDNPP- damaged reactors or spent fuel pools; and finally, the estimation of the amount of Pu isotopes released from the FDNPP.
Introduction
The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident has caused serious contamination in the environment from the atmospheric fallout and the direct discharges of highly radioactive liquid wastes.1)-3) In addition to the massive release of highly volatile fission products, such as 127mTe, 132Te, 131I, 133Xe, 134Cs, 136Cs, and 137Cs, the possible release of non-volatile Pu isotopes attracted considerable public attention following the FDNPP accident. It is known that Pu isotopes present a large risk for internal radiation exposure via ingestions of contaminated agricultural crops, particularly for 241Pu (a beta-emitter, T1/2 = 14.4 years). As it decays, the ingrowth of 241Am (an alpha and gamma-emitter, T1/2 = 432.7 years) will present an additional radiation risk.
Plutonium is generally produced in reactor fuel as a mixture of isotopes. The predominant isotope, 239Pu, is produced by neutron capture by 238U. If a fuel element containing 239Pu is left in a reactor for any length of time, further neutron capture can occur, yielding isotopes with higher mass such as 240Pu, 241Pu, and 242Pu. In addition, small quantities of two other isotopes, 236Pu and 238Pu, are 4.52 to 34.8 mBq/g were detected in samples of the J- Village surface soil (0–2 cm) and in litter at sites S2 and S3 (Fig. 1).
The paper continues.... I am sure you can locate and read this paper for yourself should you be so inclined.
The facts are out there, decrying them as 'fear-porn' only betrays your own very real fear of fear itself.
The report from Dr. Filipy you referenced is not entitled "Bioaccumulation of Plutonium in Humans", because it is in fact not a paper researching bioaccumulation of plutonium in humans. It is a research paper on the presence of plutonium in humans (tests done on cadavers) but it makes no mention whatsoever of bioaccumulation. If you have deliberately added the heading "Bioaccumulation of plutonium in humans" in order to mislead, it is despicable and pathetic.
The second paper you referenced I presume you intended to support your discussion of "hot particles", but, sadly, nowhere in that paper are the words "hot particles" mentioned. They are not mentioned because they are not considered a serious topic of study by the scientific community. At least not in this millenium. Furthermore, in the same paper you will find the researchers searched for Sr90 in rainwater directly after Fukushima, and found none. Finally, the paper ends conclusively with the statement that the fission products measured in the air filters was "not found to be of concern to public or environmental health".
So in addition to the many lies you have made in the course of this discussion, you have now referenced two reports which not only fail to support your claims, they conclusively undermine your suppositions regarding "host of radionculides", and about how dangerous the so-called "hot particles" are. To put it briefly, these papers show your fears to be completely groundless.
I will ignore your ridiculous claims about how there is no data for strontium, as the report which you yourself referenced above does a thorough job of discrediting that assertion (as if I needed any more support in that regard). In addition, there are numerous reports from various Japanese sources regarding testing for strontium and plutonium, and all of them show that strontium and plutonium are either undetectable, or are in such minute quantities as to be indistinguishable from background radiation. So, while you may believe that foodstuffs are not being tested, and that people ought to have grave concerns, the evidence shows otherwise.
The other two posts at 8:44 and 8:46 are bizarre attempts to prove something, I'm sure, only I have no idea what you are trying to say.
I never said "all was well". I never said no radionuclides exist in Fukushima. I have said, and will say again, the testing for strontium and plutonium in food has consistently shown extremely low levels (or none at all). I have refuted the alarmist claims: for example that fragments of fuel rods found 400kms away, or that where one finds tritium one will find a "host of other radionuclides". I have rejected the ridiculous notion that the Japanese were engaging in russian roulette by eating Japanese food.
I don't have a fear of fear. I have a disdain for people who are too ignorant to understand the evidence at hand, and for people who encourage others to be pointlessly afraid. It absolutely disgusts me that people can get away with claiming things like parts of fuel rods were found 400kms away. And it infuriates me that people will post a portion of an abstract of a report on plutonium in cadavers with a false headline, and claim it as evidence.
No false headline, the plutonium was in the cadavers. How did it get there? Magic?
Be infuriated all you wish. Your fury hobbles you.
As you ride roughshod over the opinions of others in cavalier fashion, your disdain obliterating any possibility of humility, you've utterly failed to observe that your world has irrevocably changed.
You presume much, and understand little.
I'm through with trying to teach this pig to sing. He or she is tone deaf and it's a waste of my time.
It is a false heading. The real title of the report is "Estimation of actinide skeletal content in humans based on bone samples collected at autopsy", and everyone can see it here at
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12498516
Opinions which can be disproven by facts deserve to be disproven by facts. But at least we have found something to agree on: you are indeed wasting your time by fretting over hot particles, ejected fuel rods, and the like.
Call it what you will, you are still just as wrong. The plutonium didn't mysteriously appear in organs tissue and bone, it was ingested. I suggest you read the article more carefully wherein plutonium concentrations are enumerated within bone AND TISSUE AND LUNGS ETC per the excerpt pasted above. Thus your careless and clumsy interpretation of a peer reviewed document reveals your opinions to be just plain wrong.
And fwiw, I didn't attempt to mis-title the article - this blog obviously does not permit HTML text formatting.
It s really quite pathetic how an obviously somewhat educated individual like yourself can misread, misinterpret and then proceed to manipulate the data and then pontificate.
People like you sir or madam are the reason we are all in a mess as a result of this Fukushima catastrophe and, make no mistake, it is indeed a catastrophe of huge proportions by whatever method you choose to measure it, be it economic, ecological, human cost etc.
You choose to use the invented phrases 'fear porn' and 'scare mongering' to introduce an emotional element into your argument. These are the tactics of a table thumping bully trying to intimidate those who disagree.
Your disdain (as you clearly state above), your disgust (ditto) and your fury (ditto once again) rob you of any shred of empathy or decency.
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