Radiation Rain / ARS

[Ushinor Majumdar]

A text message is being circulated as:

""BBC News Flash": Japan Government confirms radiation leak at Fukushima nuclear plant. Asian countries should take necessary precautions. If it rains, remain indoors first 24 hours, close doors and windows, swab neck skin with betadine where thyroid area is, radiation hits thyroid first. Take extra precautions, radiation may hit Phillipines starting 4 pm (Pinas Time) today! Please pass this message - Dr KBM"

1. A news-blogger disagrees:

http://nbnl.globalwhelming.com/2011/03/15/japan-nuclear-plants-meltdown-likely-rumored-radiation-rain/

Examples of Chernobyl given.

2. http://www.independentwho.info/Documents/M_Fernex/ChernobylCatastrophe_Fernex_EN.pdf

An article published by someone formerly with WHO discusses about Acute Radiation Syndrome along with notes on IAEA conference 1991 post-Chernobyl and about thyroid cancer and treatment through ingestion of Iodine tablets

Interestingly no one speaks of applying iodine solution, however, the text message suggests using Betadine a brand of iodine tincture owned by Purdue. It is manufactured and sold in India by Win-Medicare and Modi Mundipharma, owned by one Mr U.K. Modi.

I couldnt source a review on use of iodine in dealing with radiation rain or radiation leaks. If anyone does, please forward.

Regards,

Ushinor

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[jaya shreedhar]

The BBC warns that the test message is fake - it issued no such message. Go to this link to read about exposure to radiation how it affects health.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12722435

Jaya

[jaya shreedhar]

Here's one of the better papers discussing KI (Potassium iodide) and topical iodine - http://www.bnl.gov/isd/documents/29304.pdf

and an excerpt:

"Before KI became so readily available (in the late 1980s), some studies were done on the efficacy of topical application of tincture of iodine and/or povidone-iodine solution (Betadine) to the skin as a means of providing a loading of stable iodine to saturate the thyroid and prevent or reduce  the potential uptake of the radioiodine.  There is an established scientific basis for the success of that method for protection of the thyroid 

gland. As the method relies solely on the topical application of  first-aid treatments typically found in most homes and having no  particular shelf-life problems, it may provide the public with an alternative to worrying about when and where to get and take 

KI in an actual emergency. Preliminary human studies have shown that 4 mL of 2 percent tincture of iodine applied to a single forearm produced an average serum Iodine level of 138 pg mm....

-3

 (13.8 µg dL

-

1

) at 2 hours post-application.  Previous studies have indicated that serum levels greater 

than 100 pg mm

-3 

 (10  µg dL

-1

 ) provides nearly 100 percent blockage of radioiodine 

uptake by the thyroid gland.  In the absence of KI tablets or solution for ingestion, for 

thyroid protection from airborne radioiodine uptake, topical  application of 8 mL 

(equivalent to 120 drops, or 1.5 teaspoons, or ½ tablespoon, or ¼ ounce) of 2 percent 

tincture of Iodine or Betadine (Povidone-Iodine solution) to the skin of the abdomen over Feasibility Study for Potassium Iodide (KI) Distribution in New York City

9 

an area of approximately 4” by 8” would produce serum Iodine levels greater than 200 

pg mm

-3

 (20 µg dL

-1

 ) persisting over 26 hours with an effectiveness comparable to oral 

KI in blocking uptake of radioiodine. CAUTION: TOPICAL application only. Ingestion 

of tincture of iodine or Betadine can cause poisoning. (There is anecdotal information 

regarding such occurrences  in Eastern Europe when another Russian Reactor was 

believed to be having an accident.) A significant public information and education effort 

must accompany any such recommendation to the public.

[14,15]

[Ushinor Majumdar]

Thank you for the study.

Here's a report on the effects of Nuclear Radiation by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission:

http://1.usa.gov/8GZjvh

Ushinor