Radioactive Iodine: Bad News / Good News!?!
The “bad news” first: #1 – Radioactive iodine (predominantly iodine-131) is a major radioisotope constituent in nuclear power plants. #2 – There are 103 currently active commercial nuclear reactors and 39 operating nonpower reactors in the United States. (434 worldwide as of 1998.) Additionlly, there are numerous other nuclear processing and storage facilities worldwide with the potential for accidents, too. The, September 29, 1999, Tokaimura, Japan nuclear accident took place, not in a nuclear reactor power plant, but in an uranium processing plant. Radioactive iodine-131 gases were confirmed to have been released and was the primary reason for 320,000 Japanese confined to their homes with their windows shut. It was also why you may have seen photos of Japanese authorities examining scores of children with geiger counters pressed against their necks. #3 – Radioactive iodine (predominantly iodine-131) is also a major constituent of detonated nuclear weapons. #4 – Radioactive iodine can
