Community | June 12, 2011 | 82 comments

Strontium found in groundwater for first time (in Japan)

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KB723
Source: Deutsche Press Agentur via Energy News

Tokyo - Radioactive contamination from the stricken nuclear power facility Fukushima has worsened, the operators Tepco warned Sunday, with probes of groundwater turning up traces of strontium that were 240 times above the allowable maximum limit.

Nuclear regulatory authorities reported finding the dangerously radioactive element near the damaged reactors 1 and 2.

The Kyodo news agency said it was the first discovery of strontium in the groundwater and was possibly caused by leakage resulting from pipelines being stopped up.

Meanwhile Tepco said that due to technical problems it could not yet start testing a new facility to decontaminate the tainted water.

Tepco had planned to start a week of testing on Friday, but due to the problems the start-up of the new facility - originally targeted for mid-June - would be delayed.

The decontamination facility poses a key element in Tepco's hopes of recycling the thousands of tons of highly-contaminated water used for cooling the reactors.





Read more: http://enenews.com/strontium-found-in-groundwater-for-f...


The human body can't distinguish between strontium and calcium, so strontium is absorbed into the bones, and is especially harmful to growing children.
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82 comments // Strontium found in groundwater for first time (in Japan)

  • rosyjane
    • 0
      rosyjane  

    • if strontium already occurs in the water, then the chemical content must needed to be known as soil (which needs minerals and soil contents to neutralize the water.) what are the soil composites that are missing to deactivate strontium?

    • 11 months ago
  • ecoalex
    • +1
      ecoalex  

    • I don't believe spent fuel rods are intact in units 1-4 pools.The explosions came form the fuel pools,not the reactors.The rods in pools 5,6 are probably melted too.

    • 12 months ago
  • Johnny_Los_Angeles
    • +1
      Johnny_Los_Angeles  

    • Im sure this is all just the tip of the iceberg, its going to turn out to be allot worse than anyone thinks it is now. The region will be another dead zone like chernobyl where only plants and animals can survive but not humans. May sound weird but they found that life is flourishing there because the weaker life forms died off and those that were mutated didnt survive and animal lifespans are so short that they dont live long enough to die of cancer so the area is now thriving with life because only the strong survived but humans cannot live there because there would birth defects and mutations and they would get cancer after 10 to 20 yrs.

    • 12 months ago
  • KB723
  • PoliticalAmazon
  • KB723
  • PoliticalAmazon
  • sue4e3
    • +1
      sue4e3  
    • alexandrek:

      I know it is miniscule but I worked in a nursing home ,right out of high school .They had a fire preparedness plan that said in event of fire get out. It's nice to know from the very small to the very huge people rely on ridiculous things

    • 12 months ago
  • zakkred
  • sue4e3
    • 0
      sue4e3  
    • alexandrek:

      That was what i said earlier. Back when our government didn't have to post any bomb test results or fall out figures on the internet in the 50'sand 60's. Alot of people don't know this but for several years in certain states(bomb testing states) our government was willing to pay for medical procedures on peoples thyroid .They don't do that for no reason.

    • 12 months ago
  • ArchDruid
  • sue4e3
    • 0
      sue4e3  
    • ArchDruid:

      what I wanted to know was is anyone doing anything for those stuck in those shelters .
      After you posted that over 300 people (I think ) died In the shelters .
      It was very hard to wrap my head around the fact that these poor people survived insurmountable odds. to die for lack of every day comforts.

    • 12 months ago
  • ArchDruid
  • sue4e3
  • Wicks934
    • 0
      Wicks934  
    • ArchDruid:

      Thank you for the update on the people displaced by the earthquake. I'm hoping the earthquake was the 100 year earthquake and that the earth stay relatively peaceful for the coming years.

    • 12 months ago
  • CaptD
    • +6
      CaptD  

    • Japan citizens and many of those of the rest of the world,
      ... wait in fear because of what TEPCO and the Japanese Gov't.
      ... is trying to do to stop this Eco-Disaster...

      That is the bottom line and no amount of
      ... "reports or reviews or Nuclear theory" makes that any better.

      Do any of US actually know what the situation is on the ground?

      I sure don't, but I know that because TEPCO has lied, concealed
      ... and played the Japanese People we all have much to fear from
      ... them!

      If someone told me 100 days ago that I would be sitting on the edge
      ... of my chair, and blogging to save Japanese people from their Utility
      ... TEPCO & their Gov't. overseers I would have thought they were crazy!

    • 12 months ago
  • KB723
  • ClassicalGas
  • GZPZ
  • ArchDruid
  • nobsartist
  • coolplanet
    • 0
      coolplanet  
    • ArchDruid:

      Why does it always seem to take a major disaster to get most people to take action.
      That Japan could generate 50% of its electricity with renewables by 2020 was unthinkable only a few months ago!
      If this is true then I will change my mind about the need of nuclear energy to immediately replace fossil fuels until wind, solar and geothermal can produce at least 50% of our electricity consumption because global warming is by far the worst and most immediate crisis we face.

    • 12 months ago
  • ClassicalGas
  • KB723
  • ClassicalGas
  • KB723
  • artemis6
  • KB723
  • artemis6
  • KB723
    • 0
      KB723  
    • artemis6:

      I agree artemis6... =) I know there are young entrepreneurs out there that have the answer, I just feel the Gov't is not going out of their way to find answers... Even when they do, the Elite find a way of getting it out of the spotlight... Google Who Killed the Electric Car??? Matter of fact, I am sure I posted it in the movies section here at Current... =)
      If you look for it and are not able to find it... Let me know, I will send you a link... =)

    • 12 months ago
  • nobsartist
    • +2
      nobsartist  

    • Bye, Bye Japan. No threats of the Japanese ruining our economy like we used to hear in the 80's. I bet thats when G.E. started building those plants.
      Nice trojan horse G.E.

      Why isnt G.E. being held responsible for faulty engineering on these reactors.
      Experts knew all along that G.E's containment philosophy was full of holes.
      Now we have the China Syndrome times 4.

    • 12 months ago
  • KB723
  • ArchDruid
  • nobsartist
    • +1
      nobsartist  
    • ArchDruid:

      I dont know what you mean by 'false flag". It seems that that is what has happened in Japan. Strontium in the groundwater is a pretty good indication that perhaps a molten mass of highly radioactive material is consuming its way into the earth. Realizing that Japan is so close to China, perhaps the title is a little confusing.

    • 12 months ago
  • oboith
  • KB723
    • 0
      KB723  
    • nobsartist:

      perhaps the title is a little confusing.

      You obviously speak, write and read English... I can't see what or how the title can be Confusing... Not to mention, there is nothing here about China... Eeeesh, now I am confused...

    • 12 months ago
  • ArchDruid
  • ArchDruid
  • oboith
  • nobsartist
    • +1
      nobsartist  
    • KB723:

      It is quite simple. The activity that has occured is refered to as "the china syndrome".
      That is, molten radioactive mass is consuming itself OUTSIDE of the containment structure. Because of its weight, this "mass" will continue to build as it feeds upon minerals and metals in the earth and it will continue to move lower into the earth until it puts itself out. As it contacts the water table, it will spread its poison thru that water table.
      That would be the Strontium 90.

    • 12 months ago
  • KB723
  • aj727b
    • 0
      aj727b  
    • ArchDruid:

      "Reactors 1, 2 and 3 had a total melt down of it's nuclear cores and it now breached the central pressurised reactor vessels and the molten nuclear mass which weights something like 100 tons each is lying on the bottom of the reactor steel containment vessels."
      I remember when I said that in March many people here said I was spreading lies to scare people. Wish that I HAD been just fear-mongering based on ignorance rather than correctly reading the truth between the official lies and assurances based on years of fighting the nuclear and fossil fuel industries, both of which lie and steal from all of us. What we could use now more than anything is a little more good luck like the very lucky prevailing winds during mid-March taking a lot of the early particulates and gaseous emissions out to sea....

    • 12 months ago
  • covelogibbs
  • PoliticalAmazon
    • +1
      PoliticalAmazon  

    • FROM A POST ON ANOTHER WEBSITE: "I understand that at Fukushima they cannot tunnel under the reactor because it is right on the beachfront with an extremely high water table. I believe that it is inevitable that the radiation would continue to leach into the ocean even if they covered the top with concrete and lead. So the concrete tomb would not be a satisfactory answer for Fukushima."

      --------

      If this is true--and this is just a first guess, I'm looking for the exact structure and soils now--what they could do (assuming they would have a repository for the water) would be to draw water up from the ocean (produce a negative grade towards the land) to draw up seawater, basically "flush" or "push" the water (including the contaminated water) up to the surface inland, then contain it. It would come up as seepage or probably in bodies of water, and it wouldnt' come up in a gusher.

      That aquifer is toast, anyway, but once the radioactive material/water is no longer entering the aquifer, and it has been "flushed" with seawater, it would limit damage to the ocean (negative gradient would stop the contaminated water from oozing out to the sea) and fill the aquifer with seawater, which is far better leaving it filled forever with radioactive seawater.

      Of course, the water would have to be stored somewhere, and with such an earthquake-active group of islands, keeping it contained would be a challenge.

      But just letting the contaminated water remain in the aquifer is a Bad Idea, for a lot of reasons.

      Just an idea. This would be such an interesting project.

    • 12 months ago
  • KB723
  • ArchDruid
  • KB723
    • 0
      KB723  
    • ArchDruid:

      That's great news ArchDruid.... The part I wonder about is this: The tanks you mention are in the ocean??? If so, it still is not fool proof... I do not know this so I will look to you for an answer... Thanks... =)

    • 12 months ago
  • ArchDruid
  • KB723
  • ArchDruid
  • KB723
  • kerriberri
    • 0
      kerriberri  
    • ArchDruid:

      Hi, Archdruid--

      As always, enjoying reading your informative posts.

      Since you seem to know quite a bit about the current situation there, can you tell me if you've heard anything at all about the Japanese accepting advice from the Russians? Quite aware of their negative history together, but just wondering if the Russians have offered any cleanup assistance, given the lessons they must have learned after Chernobyl.

      Constantly curious....

    • 12 months ago
  • ArchDruid
  • KB723
    • 0
      KB723  
    • ArchDruid:

      Correct... I only find up to date info on the net... And as you mention... The news posted, is not always all of the news... That's why I always Thank you for your input... =)

    • 12 months ago
  • ArchDruid
  • kerriberri
  • PoliticalAmazon
    • +1
      PoliticalAmazon  

    • David-KB-anybody else? Is there a publicly-accessible information site with info on the aquifers, the structure, soil type, etc., in Japan? This type of info can help indicate whether the damage will remain localized or spread to other aquifers.

    • 12 months ago
  • KB723
  • jam60jam
    • +3
      jam60jam  

    • in order to make up and make you feel safe we will decontaminate the thousands of tons water yea right like you said this is full of alot of lies and we both said when this first happened this is a bad situation that continues to grow in scope and i still think we are not getting the truth of how much it has affected the u.s

    • 12 months ago
  • KB723
  • NiceN
  • KB723
  • ArchDruid
  • aj727b
    • +2
      aj727b  
    • ArchDruid:

      It is not widely reported because the Nuclear Industry the IAEA, METI, NISA, JDP, NRC, GE, HITACHI, etc, all hushed it up as much as poissible because they want toe sell the LIE that the accident only happened because of multiple disasters. If the story that the public remembers is that one or more reactors melted down BEFORE the tsunami hit then that means that it COULD happen HERE or THERE or ANYWHERE... in fact not "could happen" but "WILL" happen... just a matter of how soon chance aligns to make it happen at a "safe cheap" plant near you!!

    • 12 months ago
  • Alanb4130
  • KB723
  • ArchDruid
  • artemis6
  • ArchDruid
  • KB723
  • artemis6
  • ejasun
  • KB723
  • thedirtman
    • +3
      thedirtman  

    • There are benign isotopes of Strontium but the important issue here is that Strontium-90 is a radioactive isotope. Don't stand too close you might catch it.

    • 12 months ago
  • KB723
  • Alanb4130
  • KB723
  • Vierotchka
  • KB723
    • +2
      KB723  
    • Vierotchka:

      It's not looking good for the people of Japan Vierotchka... =( Or the rest of the world, that water will eventually make it's way to the Ocean... Man I am really bummed to post this news...

    • 12 months ago
  • KB723
    • +4
      KB723  

    • "The human body can't distinguish between strontium and calcium, so strontium is absorbed into the bones, and is especially harmful to growing children."

    • 12 months ago
  • aj727b
    • +1
      aj727b  
    • KB723:

      Just like Iodine 131 goes to the thyroid gland, and cesium to the muscle tissue, and plutonium in the lungs and reproductive organs... lovely stuff the nuclear "progress" Atoms for peace!! Nothing quite so peaceful as a sterile planet.

    • 12 months ago
  • KB723
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