Radiation levels near Fukushima ’18 times higher’ than reported: TEPCO
Readings taken near a leaking tank at the nuked Fukushima plant on Saturday showed radiation levels were high enough to prove lethal within about 4 hours of exposure, the plant operator said.
The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) had originally reported the radiation level near the tank was about 100 millisieverts an hour.
Now, the company says the equipment used for the earlier recording could only read up to 100 millisieverts (mSv).
The new reading, using more sensitive Geiger counters, showed levels of about 1,800 mSv per hour.
Studies of the 1945 atomic bombing at Hiroshima and Nagasaki show that 100 percent of victims whose bodies were exposed to 6,000 mSv (600,000 millirems) died from radiation. About 50 percent of victims who received 4,500 mSv (450,000 millirems) of radiation also died.
TEPCO said it had recorded radiation of 230 mSv an hour at a second tank, which was emitting 70 mSv in July. The company said it had also discovered two additional leaks: a third storage tank emitting 70 mSv an hour; and a pipe connecting two other tanks measuring 230 mSv.
The 2011 triple meltdown at Fukushima Daiichi NPP forced more than 160,000 people to abandon their homes, turning dozens of communities into ghost towns.
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
The Internet Mafia has previously censored Public Health Emergency, global health warnings and any and ALL information posted on this blog concerning nuclear disasters, nuclear energy and the global nuclear mafia. The cabal have specifically blocked or buried blog entrees on Fukushima Daiichi NPP.
What is a lethal dose of radiation from a single Exposure?
Studies of the 1945 atomic bombing at Hiroshima and Nagasaki show that 100 percent of victims whose bodies were exposed to 600,000 millirems (6,000 mSv) died from radiation. About 50 percent of victims who received 450,000 millirems (4,500 mSv) of radiation also died.
(Note: Rem is a unit of ionizing radiation equal to the amount that produces the same damage to humans as one roentgen of high-voltage x-rays. Source: MIT)
1 rem = 10 mSv or 10,000 µSv (1 Sv = 100 rem)
Background Radiation in microsieverts per year (µSv/yr)
- Average background radiation (US): 3,000
- Higher altitudes (e.g, Denver): 4,000
“Safe Levels” of Radiation (U.S.)
Limits above natural background radiation levels (average 3,000 microsieverts per year) and medical radiation:
- Occupation Limit: Maximum of 50,000 µSv (the limit for a worker using radiation)
- Average Natural Background: 3,000 µSv
[Note: Lifetime cumulative exposure should be limited to a person’s age multiplied by 10 millirems, e.g., a 70-year-old person, 70,000 millirems.]
Adults
- Max single dose for an adult: 30,000µSv
- Annual total dose: 50,000µSv
Under 18
- Max single dose for a person aged under 18 years: 3,000µSv (whole body equivalent)
- Annual total exposure: 5,000µSv
Fetal Exposure
- Maximum limit for fetal exposure during gestation period: 500 µSv per month above background levels
Medical
- Single Chest X-ray (the whole body equivalent): 20µSv
Air Travel
- Coast-to-coast US round trip flight: 120µSv
*Note: Radiation dose of about 2,000 millisieverts (200,000 millirems) cause serious illness.
Half-life of some radioactive elements
[NOTE: Half-life is the time taken for a radioactive substance to decay by half.]
- Cesium-134 ~ 2 years
- Cesium-137 ~ 30 years
- Iodine-131 ~ 8 days
- Plutonium-239 ~ 24,200 years
- Ruthenium-103 ~ 39 days [Ruthenium is a fission product of uranium-235.]
- Ruthenium-106 ~ 374 days
- Strontium-90 ~ 28.85 years [Strontium-90 is a product of nuclear fission and is found in large amounts in spent nuclear fuel and in radioactive waste from nuclear reactors.]
- Uranium-234 ~ 246,000 years
- Uranium-235 ~ 703.8 million years
- Uranium-238 ~ 4.468 billion years
The following probability figures calculated by FIRE-EARTH on April 8, 2011 still hold!
- Japan (880)³
- United States (865)
- France (855)
- Taiwan (850)
- Belgium, China, Finland, India, South Korea, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Russia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Armenia, Slovenia, Croatia, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Spain, Pakistan, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Canada (810)
- Germany, Sweden, Netherlands (800)
- Switzerland (750)
Notes:
- The list represents a snapshot of events at the time of calculating the probabilities. Any forecast posted here is subject to numerous variable factors.
- Figures in the bracket represent the probability of an incident occurring out of 1,000; the forecast duration is valid for the next 50 months.
- Probability includes a significant worsening of Fukushima nuclear disaster, and future quakes forecast for Japan.
- A nuclear incident is defined as a level 5 (Accident With Wider Consequences), or worse, on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES). See below.
- Safety issues considered in compiling these lists include the age, number of units and capacity of nuclear reactors in each country/state, previous incidents, probability of damage from human-enhanced natural disasters, e.g., earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic activity, hurricanes, tornadoes, storms, wildfires, flooding…]
- The Blog’s knowledge concerning the extent to which the factors described in (3) might worsen during the forecast period greatly influences the forecast. (Last UPDATED: June 26, 2011)
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The Following Announcements Was Released by TEPCO
News related to TEPCO (Sep 01,2013)
Explanation regarding the high radiation (maximum 1,800 mSv) found at tanks in Fukushima Daiichi NPS on August 31, 2013
We deeply apologize for the great anxiety and inconvenience caused by the recent contaminated water issues at the Fukushima Daiichi NPS, which affects the residents near the power station and the broader society.
Regarding the high radiation (maximum 1,800 mSv) found at tanks in Fukushima Daiichi NPS on August 31, some articles reported that “by simple calculation, if a person is exposed this much radiation amount for four hours continuously, that would lead to death” or “it takes only one minute to reach the annual radiation exposure limit for workers,” etc. We would like to explain more about the 1,800 mSv.
We used measuring equipment that measures both beta radiation and gamma radiation. The 1,800 mSv is the total amount of beta radiation and gamma radiation. Gamma radiation was 1 mSv and most of the 1,800 mSv was beta radiation.
Since 1,800 mSv is approximately 3.5 times higher than the control level of equivalent dose for skin which is 500 mSv/year, we should carefully control radiation exposure. Since beta radiation travels only a short distance, radiation level decreases considerably if we keep a distance. Moreover, since beta radiation is weak and can be blocked by a thin metal sheet such as aluminum, we think that we can control radiation exposure by using proper equipments and cloths.
Additionally, although 1,800 mSv was detected at 5 cm above the floor, the radiation level of 50 cm above the floor was 15 mSv. Thus, 1,800 mSv does not mean the radiation level of the whole nearby place.
Some articles reported that “if a person is exposed this much radiation amount for four hours continuously, that would lead to death” comparing with the radiation level that would result in death (7,000 mSv), or “it takes only one minute to reach the annual radiation exposure limit for workers” comparing with the annual radiation exposure limit for workers (50 mSv). However, we believe that simply comparing the 1,800 mSv with those standard levels is not proper, since the standard levels are accumulation of effective dose (not equivalent dose) that express effects for whole body.
We will find out the cause of this issue and make proper counter measures immediately, and continue to make every effort to secure safety of workers.
Fire Earth 