Comments on: Fukushima Update: Radioactive Fish, Conflicts of Interest, and Filtered Vents

By: Greg Laden

Greg Laden — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 21:09:26 +0000

Cesium substitutes for calcium in biologically active systems and bone, which is why it is a killer. It doesn’t substitute well. As thether or not it can build up (bioaccumulate), there is debate. People generally think it is not good at that but the all this evidence came along and it seems to have been. So there is an argument that it does.

Thing is, something lie strontium is more abundant and easier to experiment with in a lab setting. I don’t think sufficient research has been one with cesium.

By: Joffan

Joffan — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 19:27:30 +0000

Prak: You are probably confusing cesium with strontium, which famously is a bone-seeker, being in the same chemical group as calcium (II, alkaline earth metals). Fortunately there was essentially no strontium released from Fukushima.

Greg: radionucleotide -> radionuclide.

By: Prak

Prak — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 13:01:33 +0000

Thank you for this, I was wondering about the recent development of the Fukushima situation.

If memory serves, cesium is readily incorporated into bones where it will remain. A higher concentration in long-living fish would not seem surprising to me due to the potential for bio-accumulation.
Do you remember seeing any information about radiation levels in other foodstuffs? After Chernobyl I remember especially (wild)mushrooms and game as items of concern for accumulation of isotopes.