High levels of radioactive contamination (160 times above normal) found in vegetables and milk from the vicinity of the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan has forced the Prime Minister, Naoto Kan, to alert the population not consume. In Tokyo, they have found particles of radioactive iodine in tap water and authorities have banned its use in infants.
The experts consulted consider not "imminent" the negative health effects and insist that the risk comes from the accumulation of pollution, but others, in any case, would not drink the water in Tokyo. Dr. Joachim Breckow, professor of the Institute of Medical Physics and Radiation Protection, University of Applied Sciences (THM) of Germany, independent expert of the IAEA, said that a concentration of 100 becquerels per kilo or liter of food is almost normal.
As a reference, indicates that the human body has a total of about 10,000 becquerels. "I just found very high levels at specific points, but has decided not to market these foods as a precaution," said Breckow. For nuclear engineering professor at the Polytechnic University of Madrid Eduardo Gallego, checks are carried out by the Japanese government are "a necessary measure" while the health risk is "not imminent" because the danger is not to consume products once contaminated, but to have a continued use.
Moreover, the risks are always long term. "The radiation from beta and gamma can alter the DNA of cells and cause them to degenerate and there is a cancer over the years." According to his calculations, the risk of disease begin to occur from one year's consumption, for example, contaminated vegetables.
Contaminated water authorities have advised people of Tokyo that babies do not drink tap water. Children, like Jean Michel Poirson detailed, Food Safety Specialist of the United Nations Organization for Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), are more sensitive to radiation with iodine and cesium.
Adults, however, do not ask them to gather for not refusing to supply bottled water to areas most in need, who are the prefectures closest to the plant. Dr. Breckow view, however that 210 becquerels, which have been detected, also not good for adults, but as it says "is a question of alternatives." Personally, if there is the possibility of bottled water, he would.
Professor Gallego not drink tap water if I were in Tokyo, despite his views on the current situation in Japan is reassuring. "Drink it is no more dangerous than eating other chemicals such as those who inhaled the smoke." But even so, recommends prevention: "There are so many fronts that the Japanese authorities have opened self-protection I would recommend simple measures such as not drinking tap water." Eduardo Rodriguez, CSIC researcher and professor and member of the EU Scientific Committee on new risks to health is one of the experts who do not drink tap water in Tokyo.
He claims that "everything that is happening was planned since last week" and that Japan would "minimize the results" did things "reprehensible" and increase the levels of radiation allowed. "The issue is what action to take in such a populous country," he muses, and refers to the Austrian weather service to obtain reliable information on radiation levels and their displacement in the world.
Long-term effects long term, the area around the plant faces a soil contamination of several decades, the disabled for agriculture and livestock, but experts agree it is too early to estimate how long. Today, we have found levels 400 times above normal to 5 inches below the surface of the earth in an area of 40 km around the plant.
Breckow explains the two main particle monitor are iodine-131 and cesium-137. The first will disappear in a matter of months. The second, however, may remain about 30 years. The pollution will penetrate into the ground until they no trace on the surface, but the groundwater could be affected.
In the body, explains Poirson, FAO, iodine is removed within days, while the cesium can stay 17 days. So says Dr. Rafael Herranz Crespo, head of Radiation Oncology at the Hospital Gregorio Marañón, the Japanese government has set much lower limits for the amounts contained cesium iodine.
While limits on iodine intake in adults are at 300 becquerels per kilo for milk and water are cesium-200. And, to plants, the limit is 2,000 iodine and cesium 500 becquerels per kilo. He explains the effects these substances could have on the health of people. "Iodine is set in the thyroid gland and may cause long-term thyroid cancer, which is what happened in Chernobyl with many children who drank contaminated milk," he says.
Cesium, in turn, is more dangerous for its durability and long-term could lead to osteoporosis because they are fixed to the bone. The WHO is currently not worried about pollution Maria Neira, director of the Department of Public Health and Environment of the World Health Organization (WHO), told this newspaper that "WHO is not worried about the presence of radioactivity in water, although it would if continued long term.
The organization hopes that the Japanese authorities will implement the methods that exist to clean it. "Like other experts consulted, considered that the alert for babies only drink bottled water because of what medicine is called" precautionary principle " , which is not necessarily based on a scientific study of cause and effect.
Dr. Neira agrees that the accumulation, not the mere presence of iodine or radioactive cesium, which increases the risk of thyroid cancer. "radiations have represented a huge benefit in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, "says Neira, however warns of the adverse effects of abuse, and emphasizes the need for health care professionals make a very rational use of radiation, as recommended WHO program on radiation and health.
Jean Michel Poirson, FAO, reminds all members of your organization that there are international standards agreed by all to monitor and control pollution in food, which should be used in the import of food from the area of Fukushima. 
The experts consulted consider not "imminent" the negative health effects and insist that the risk comes from the accumulation of pollution, but others, in any case, would not drink the water in Tokyo. Dr. Joachim Breckow, professor of the Institute of Medical Physics and Radiation Protection, University of Applied Sciences (THM) of Germany, independent expert of the IAEA, said that a concentration of 100 becquerels per kilo or liter of food is almost normal.
As a reference, indicates that the human body has a total of about 10,000 becquerels. "I just found very high levels at specific points, but has decided not to market these foods as a precaution," said Breckow. For nuclear engineering professor at the Polytechnic University of Madrid Eduardo Gallego, checks are carried out by the Japanese government are "a necessary measure" while the health risk is "not imminent" because the danger is not to consume products once contaminated, but to have a continued use.
Moreover, the risks are always long term. "The radiation from beta and gamma can alter the DNA of cells and cause them to degenerate and there is a cancer over the years." According to his calculations, the risk of disease begin to occur from one year's consumption, for example, contaminated vegetables.
Contaminated water authorities have advised people of Tokyo that babies do not drink tap water. Children, like Jean Michel Poirson detailed, Food Safety Specialist of the United Nations Organization for Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), are more sensitive to radiation with iodine and cesium.
Adults, however, do not ask them to gather for not refusing to supply bottled water to areas most in need, who are the prefectures closest to the plant. Dr. Breckow view, however that 210 becquerels, which have been detected, also not good for adults, but as it says "is a question of alternatives." Personally, if there is the possibility of bottled water, he would.
Professor Gallego not drink tap water if I were in Tokyo, despite his views on the current situation in Japan is reassuring. "Drink it is no more dangerous than eating other chemicals such as those who inhaled the smoke." But even so, recommends prevention: "There are so many fronts that the Japanese authorities have opened self-protection I would recommend simple measures such as not drinking tap water." Eduardo Rodriguez, CSIC researcher and professor and member of the EU Scientific Committee on new risks to health is one of the experts who do not drink tap water in Tokyo.
He claims that "everything that is happening was planned since last week" and that Japan would "minimize the results" did things "reprehensible" and increase the levels of radiation allowed. "The issue is what action to take in such a populous country," he muses, and refers to the Austrian weather service to obtain reliable information on radiation levels and their displacement in the world.
Long-term effects long term, the area around the plant faces a soil contamination of several decades, the disabled for agriculture and livestock, but experts agree it is too early to estimate how long. Today, we have found levels 400 times above normal to 5 inches below the surface of the earth in an area of 40 km around the plant.
Breckow explains the two main particle monitor are iodine-131 and cesium-137. The first will disappear in a matter of months. The second, however, may remain about 30 years. The pollution will penetrate into the ground until they no trace on the surface, but the groundwater could be affected.
In the body, explains Poirson, FAO, iodine is removed within days, while the cesium can stay 17 days. So says Dr. Rafael Herranz Crespo, head of Radiation Oncology at the Hospital Gregorio Marañón, the Japanese government has set much lower limits for the amounts contained cesium iodine.
While limits on iodine intake in adults are at 300 becquerels per kilo for milk and water are cesium-200. And, to plants, the limit is 2,000 iodine and cesium 500 becquerels per kilo. He explains the effects these substances could have on the health of people. "Iodine is set in the thyroid gland and may cause long-term thyroid cancer, which is what happened in Chernobyl with many children who drank contaminated milk," he says.
Cesium, in turn, is more dangerous for its durability and long-term could lead to osteoporosis because they are fixed to the bone. The WHO is currently not worried about pollution Maria Neira, director of the Department of Public Health and Environment of the World Health Organization (WHO), told this newspaper that "WHO is not worried about the presence of radioactivity in water, although it would if continued long term.
The organization hopes that the Japanese authorities will implement the methods that exist to clean it. "Like other experts consulted, considered that the alert for babies only drink bottled water because of what medicine is called" precautionary principle " , which is not necessarily based on a scientific study of cause and effect.
Dr. Neira agrees that the accumulation, not the mere presence of iodine or radioactive cesium, which increases the risk of thyroid cancer. "radiations have represented a huge benefit in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, "says Neira, however warns of the adverse effects of abuse, and emphasizes the need for health care professionals make a very rational use of radiation, as recommended WHO program on radiation and health.
Jean Michel Poirson, FAO, reminds all members of your organization that there are international standards agreed by all to monitor and control pollution in food, which should be used in the import of food from the area of Fukushima.
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