Big earthquake in Japan

[termogard]

Q&A: How dangerous is the plutonium found at Fukushima power plant?
TOKYO, March 29, Kyodo

Plutonium has been detected in soil at five locations in the crippled Fukushima Daiichi atomic power plant of Tokyo Electric Power Co. The following are questions and answers regarding the potential health hazard of the highly toxic material.

Q: What are the salient characteristics of plutonium?

A: Plutonium emits alpha rays which get lodged in people's bones and lungs after being inhaled and could become highly carcinogenic. One half-life of plutonium-239, a variant of the radioactive element, is estimated at 24,000 years. It could keep emitting radiation inside a human body and is difficult to eliminate.

Q: How will the plutonium discovered this time at the plant affect human health?

A: The plutonium-238 isotope reading at one of the five contaminated spots was 0.54 becquerel per kilogram of soil. Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) said that it is the same level as found in most soil so it is not a health hazard. Experts of the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency also say that it does not pose any immediate threat to human health.

Q: How far has the plutonium traveled from the reactors?

A: Since plutonium is a heavy element, it is generally considered unlikely to travel very far. But given other highly concentrated radioactive materials were found outside the buildings that house the nuclear reactors, experts say it is necessary to stay vigilant over unfolding developments.

Q: How does plutonium differ from other radioactive materials traced to the nuclear power plant such as radioactive iodine and cesium?

A: Unlike iodine and cesium, which have been released in gaseous form, the plutonium appears to have leaked before having evaporated. Its boiling point is around 3,232 C. This could mean that the condition at the power plant has become even more serious because a mixture of damaged nuclear fuel and water might have found its way outside.

Q: Where does the plutonium come from?

A: At the moment, it is difficult to identify the exact location. But the plutonium might have come from the No. 3 reactor that conducts so-called ''pluthermal'' power generation, using plutonium-uranium mixed oxide fuel. But it is possible that it leaked from any of the No. 1 through No. 4 reactors because plutonium is a byproduct of uranium-based power generation.

Q: What should be done to prevent the further spread of the plutonium?

A: It is essential to increase efforts to cool the reactors and pools storing the spent nuclear fuel.

==Kyodo

[Sangetsu]

Originally Posted by termogard

Q&A: How dangerous is the plutonium found at Fukushima power plant?
TOKYO, March 29, Kyodo

Plutonium has been detected in soil at five locations in the crippled Fukushima Daiichi atomic power plant of Tokyo Electric Power Co. The following are questions and answers regarding the potential health hazard of the highly toxic material.

Q: What are the salient characteristics of plutonium?

A: Plutonium emits alpha rays which get lodged in people's bones and lungs after being inhaled and could become highly carcinogenic. One half-life of plutonium-239, a variant of the radioactive element, is estimated at 24,000 years. It could keep emitting radiation inside a human body and is difficult to eliminate.

Q: How will the plutonium discovered this time at the plant affect human health?

A: The plutonium-238 isotope reading at one of the five contaminated spots was 0.54 becquerel per kilogram of soil. Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) said that it is the same level as found in most soil so it is not a health hazard. Experts of the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency also say that it does not pose any immediate threat to human health.

Q: How far has the plutonium traveled from the reactors?

A: Since plutonium is a heavy element, it is generally considered unlikely to travel very far. But given other highly concentrated radioactive materials were found outside the buildings that house the nuclear reactors, experts say it is necessary to stay vigilant over unfolding developments.

Q: How does plutonium differ from other radioactive materials traced to the nuclear power plant such as radioactive iodine and cesium?

A: Unlike iodine and cesium, which have been released in gaseous form, the plutonium appears to have leaked before having evaporated. Its boiling point is around 3,232 C. This could mean that the condition at the power plant has become even more serious because a mixture of damaged nuclear fuel and water might have found its way outside.

Q: Where does the plutonium come from?

A: At the moment, it is difficult to identify the exact location. But the plutonium might have come from the No. 3 reactor that conducts so-called ''pluthermal'' power generation, using plutonium-uranium mixed oxide fuel. But it is possible that it leaked from any of the No. 1 through No. 4 reactors because plutonium is a byproduct of uranium-based power generation.

Q: What should be done to prevent the further spread of the plutonium?

A: It is essential to increase efforts to cool the reactors and pools storing the spent nuclear fuel.

==Kyodo

Not mentioned is the fact that this plutonium may not have even come from the plant. The amount found near the reactor is not significantly higher than that which is naturally present, and traces could have come from nuclear tests done in the old Soviet Union or China. Given it's long life, it could have existed for decades before the earthquake.

[termogard]

Originally Posted by Sangetsu

Not mentioned is the fact that this plutonium may not have even come from the plant. The amount found near the reactor is not significantly higher than that which is naturally present, and traces could have come from nuclear tests done in the old Soviet Union or China. Given it's long life, it could have existed for decades before the earthquake.

Well, sounds reasonable!

[lbtan]

Originally Posted by Sangetsu

Not mentioned is the fact that this plutonium may not have even come from the plant. The amount found near the reactor is not significantly higher than that which is naturally present, and traces could have come from nuclear tests done in the old Soviet Union or China. Given it's long life, it could have existed for decades before the earthquake.

----------------------------
NHK WORLD English

Edano: Detection of plutonium a serious concern

Japan's top government spokesman says the detection of trace amounts of plutonium in ground at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant means the situation there is extremely serious.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said Tuesday that the density of plutonium found in soil samples taken from the plant a week ago was about the same as that found in the environment from past nuclear tests abroad.

But he said 2 of the samples appeared to contain the type of plutonium used in nuclear fuel, making it most likely that reactor fuel rods were the source.

Edano said that the traces of plutonium, combined with the detection of highly radioactive water, back up the view that nuclear fuel rods have partially melted.

He said the government is doing all it can to control the impact of the contamination and contain the situation.

Edano called for closer monitoring of data, saying that if higher levels of plutonium are found, the government will have to respond.

------------------------------------
sometime i wonder why there are people who persistently turn a deaf ear and a blind eye to a true problem. Turning away and continue arguing does not mean the problem does not exist.

How i hope this deteriorarion is not happening.

God will help only those who are helping themselves.

[RealJames]

It's largely inconsequential, the effects of radiation are being severely dramatized and ... check this out:
http://www.japanforum.com/forum/gene...tml#post859253
Those involved in cleanup are at risk for sure, but the millions of people around there are largely unaffected.

[termogard]

A drawing depicts a location of melted fuel inside basements of badly damaged Chernobyl reactor.

Source

[Sangetsu]

Originally Posted by termogard

Q&A: How dangerous is the plutonium found at Fukushima power plant?
TOKYO, March 29, Kyodo

Plutonium has been detected in soil at five locations in the crippled Fukushima Daiichi atomic power plant of Tokyo Electric Power Co. The following are questions and answers regarding the potential health hazard of the highly toxic material.

Q: What are the salient characteristics of plutonium?

A: Plutonium emits alpha rays which get lodged in people's bones and lungs after being inhaled and could become highly carcinogenic. One half-life of plutonium-239, a variant of the radioactive element, is estimated at 24,000 years. It could keep emitting radiation inside a human body and is difficult to eliminate.

Q: How will the plutonium discovered this time at the plant affect human health?

A: The plutonium-238 isotope reading at one of the five contaminated spots was 0.54 becquerel per kilogram of soil. Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) said that it is the same level as found in most soil so it is not a health hazard. Experts of the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency also say that it does not pose any immediate threat to human health.

Q: How far has the plutonium traveled from the reactors?

A: Since plutonium is a heavy element, it is generally considered unlikely to travel very far. But given other highly concentrated radioactive materials were found outside the buildings that house the nuclear reactors, experts say it is necessary to stay vigilant over unfolding developments.

Q: How does plutonium differ from other radioactive materials traced to the nuclear power plant such as radioactive iodine and cesium?

A: Unlike iodine and cesium, which have been released in gaseous form, the plutonium appears to have leaked before having evaporated. Its boiling point is around 3,232 C. This could mean that the condition at the power plant has become even more serious because a mixture of damaged nuclear fuel and water might have found its way outside.

Q: Where does the plutonium come from?

A: At the moment, it is difficult to identify the exact location. But the plutonium might have come from the No. 3 reactor that conducts so-called ''pluthermal'' power generation, using plutonium-uranium mixed oxide fuel. But it is possible that it leaked from any of the No. 1 through No. 4 reactors because plutonium is a byproduct of uranium-based power generation.

Q: What should be done to prevent the further spread of the plutonium?

A: It is essential to increase efforts to cool the reactors and pools storing the spent nuclear fuel.

==Kyodo

Not mentioned is the fact that this plutonium may not have even come from the plant. The amount found near the reactor is not significantly higher than that which is naturally present, and traces could have come from nuclear tests done in the old Soviet Union or China. Given it's long life, it could have existed for decades before the earthquake.

[verycoolguy992]

i was looking through my facebook friends and i stumbled upon an old korean classmate..
just look at this ignorant bigot's STATUS UPDATE, which is public to everyone! i swear, this is by far the most pathetic thing i've seen!

how would you guys deal with someone like this?

[tipsygypsy]

@verycoolguy992 Never mind. I know Korean people don't like us, and they'd react like that.

My concern is another nuclear threat now. It looks like a fast breeder called "monju" is also in trouble even when we can't seize the Fukushima reactor. It would be more terrible than fukushima when monju gets out of control. If there's a such thing as god, he doesn't like Japan and Japanese, I guess.

[termogard]

Originally Posted by verycoolguy992

Just another one apotheosis of extreme idiocy.