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Glass Encapsulated Insoluble Cesium Particles Lodged in the Fukushima Workers Lungs

A study published in March of 2016 found insoluble cesium lodged in the lungs of some of the highly exposed Fukushima disaster response workers. After doing additional scans they found most of that persistent cesium contamination resided in the workers lungs.

Direct measurements of seven highly exposed workers at the Tokyo Electric Power Company Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident have been performed continuously since June2011.

Caesium clearance in the monitored workers is in agreement with the biokinetic models proposed by the International Commission on Radiological Protection. After 500 days from the initial measurement, however, the caesium clearance slowed.

It was thought to be unlikely that additional Cs intake had occurred after the initial intake, as activity in foods was kept low. And, the contribution from the detector over the chest was enhanced with time. This indicates that insoluble Cs particles were inhaled and along metabolic rate showed.

The study concludes that insoluble cesium particles lodged in the workers lungs, preventing them from leaving the body through normal processes.

“The subjects seem to have inhaled insoluble caesium particles, even though it was only a small amount. At present, it is more plausible that the retention curves reported here were due to inhalation of a mixture of type F caesium (soluble particle) and type S caesium (insoluble particle).”

This finding is significant as it shows how the various kinds of insoluble radioactive cesium materials discovered after the initial disaster, both black substances and the glass spheres could contaminate the human body.

Read more:

http://rpd.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2016/03/14/rpd.ncw036

http://rpd.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2016/03/14/rpd.ncw036.full.pdf+html

http://www.fukuleaks.org/web/?p=15616

July 21, 2016 - Posted by dunrenard | Fukushima 2016 | Cesium Contamination, Fukushima Daiichi, Insoluble Particles, Radioactive Glass, Workers