Should We Ban Nuclear Power Because Of Iodine129 Leaks?

[Eclipse Now]

Hi all,

 

Context: I'm a bit of a lay-person fan of nuclear power basically because I've had my questions about the reliablility of renewable energy and ability of it to scale, fast enough, to offset fossil fuel use & prepare for peak oil.

 

However, it's been pointed out to me that the nuclear industry seems to necessitate Iodine-129 being leaked into the environment. How dangerous is it really? What concentrations would kill someone, or statistically raise their chances of dying?

 

On the one hand I face quotes like this...

The USEPA states that “Iodine-129, if released into the environment, its water solubility allows its uptake by humans, where it concentrates in the thyroid gland.” Further, I-129 contamination is a US priority listing due to its permanent pollution of the biosphere due to its long half life.

 

But on the other hand, I'm hearing stuff like this. (This has been roughly figured from the PDF below).

 

Quick back of envelope calculation (which definitely should be checked). From the ANL risk coefficients, ingesting 1 gram of I-129 would incur a cancer mortality risk of about 0.006. ie 6 in 1000. The highest measured I-129/I-127 ratios appear to be about 10e-6. At such concentrations, you would need to eat a tonne of iodine to incur a 6 in 1000 risk of cancer mortality. Please check the figures before using.

 

http://www.evs.anl.gov/pub/doc/ANL_ContaminantFactSheets_All_070418.pdf

 

I respect peer-reviewed science, but in this case can't tell if it's a beat-up or a playing-down. Anyone?

[maddog]

I respect peer-reviewed science, but in this case can't tell if it's a beat-up or a playing-down. Anyone?

Your link to the document you mention is published by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL).

So the source is credible and valid. The document is a listing of the elements in the Periodic Table

and their health effect along with percentage concentration in the environment. You key in on

Iodine-129. This document goes on to say how much of this naturally occurs in the upper

atmosphere and in the soil. It does mention that during a leak like Chernobyl a possible hazard

of Iodine exposure though of Iodine-131 which has a shorter half-life.

 

The probabilities mentioned in the table on morbidity would imply that it is more likely you would

win the Power Ball lottery than sustain cancer due to Iodine-129. This is just my take on the document.

 

maddog