Quake Buried 50 Radiation Sources

Opinion
Barry Artiste, Now Public Contributor

Radiation, we have all seen it in disaster movies, where men and women in Moon suits and geiger counters are scanning the area looking for radiation contaminated materials.

Ionizing Radiation is natural occuring due to the sun and all around us, and at it's highest at high noon when the sun is out and shining, well actually 11: 00 am to  2:00 PM  to be exact.


Certainly these radiaton sources are low energy beta Radioisotopes of which there are over 3,000 types, though only a few catagories. Let's hope Alpha Radiation has not been identifed, though most probably there is Alpha in the rubble.  Radiation types and emitters such as beta, alpha or gamma is anyones guess what is out there buried.

Half life decaying radioactive sources can have a long lasting environmental effect lasting anywhere from  months to thousands of year. Massive releases of these radioactive materials will ultimately  kill every, most likely for thousands of years, similar to Chernobyl, though  nature has a way of coming back and taking over, humans are not as lucky.

The acute biological effects of being exposed can result in Somatic radiation causing severe cell damage. 

Measuring for radiation in air is a different technique than measuring radiation on surfaces.  The 4 main types of ionizing radiation sources from bad to worse are:

• Alpha
• Beta
• Gamma
• Neutron

Though Neutron is not very common, all are deadly.

Emergency crews will be exposed to both when going through the rubble.  Radiation Exposure in Air and on surfaces is measured by comparing naturally occuring outdoor background levels from the Sun and measured away from the known contaminated source first as a representative level to go on, then comparing any radiation levels over background at the source will give crews a point in which to reference when looking for contamination.

One thing is certain, I fear most likely these crews will not be wearing self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)  or Air lines for breathing under long periods, or even Class A or B protective gear.

For Now Public Readers, I will give you a brief idea what these emergency crews will be going through in their quest to stop or reduce the liklihood of radioactive materials from reaching people, water, land and air sources.

Alpha Radiation

• Alpha particles are highly energetic and most dangerous. 

Beta Radiation

• Low-energy beta particles are easily absorbed in the outer layer of skin.

Gamma Radiation and X-rays

• Gamma radiation and x-rays are electromagnetic radiation that can traverse matter in which their penetrating ability of x and gamma rays makes them biological hazards whether they are external or internal the body. Remember David Banner in the Hulk, it was Gamma Rays he was playing around with when he transformed.

Neutrons

• Exposure to neutron radiation is of considerable concern as biological damage and greater than equivalent amounts of beta and gamma radiations.

I will post a Photo of myself and our team in full Class B Radioactive suit for Beta, and my Class A Biohazard suit for all other greater hazards. These are the suits one hopes the Chinese emergency workers are wearing.