Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnBraden
The bananas in the supermarkets are radioactive as well.... And also all the granite statues in the parks in Tokyo.... Everything has a trace measurement of radioactivity.... so do you! I
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Bananas contain potassium-40, not iodine-131 or cesium-137. Iodine-131 and cesium-137 are products of nuclear fission.
quote :
Effects of exposureIodine in food is absorbed by the body and preferentially concentrated in the thyroid where it is needed for the functioning of that gland. When 131I is present in high levels in the environment from radioactive fallout, it can be absorbed through contaminated food, and will also accumulate in the thyroid. As it decays, it may cause damage to the thyroid. The primary risk from exposure to high levels of 131I is the chance occurrence of radiogenic thyroid cancer in later life. Other risks include the possibility of non-cancerous growths and thyroiditis.[citation needed]
The risk of thyroid cancer in later life appears to diminish with increasing age at time of exposure. Most risk estimates are based on studies in which radiation exposures occurred in children or teenagers. When adults are exposed, it has been difficult for epidemiologists to detect a statistically significant difference in the rates of thyroid disease above that of a similar but otherwise unexposed group[citation needed
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