Russia Named as Likely Source of Europe Radioactivity Spike

[LongTomH]

Source: US News & World Reports

PARIS (AP) — An apparent accident at a Russian facility is suspected of causing a recent spike in radioactivity in the air over much of Europe, according to a report by France's nuclear safety agency.

The Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety says the release of the isotope Ruthenium-106 posed no health or environmental risks to European countries. It said the "plausible zone of release" was between the Volga River and the Ural Mountains, and suggested random checks on food imports from the region as a precaution.

In a report released Thursday based on monitoring in multiple European countries, IRSN said the Ruthenium appeared to come from an accident in late September involving nuclear fuel or the production of radioactive material. The French agency said the Ruthenium didn't appear to come from an accident in a nuclear reactor because that would have released other elements.

Germany's Federal Office for Radiation Protection said last week that elevated levels of Ruthenium were reported in Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland and France since Sept. 29, but posed no threat to public health.



Read more: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2017-11-10/france-russian-accident-caused-recent-radioactivity-spike

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"No threat to public health?" Excuse me, it seems a bit premature to say that; the accident only happened recently.

[Achilleaze]

1. Aha, the republican's radioactive evil-empire* buddies busily...

...making the world a hell hole.

* per ronald freaking reagan

[dalton99a]

2. Sputnik: "A little Ruthenium-fortified milk will enhance the flavor of cheeses and chocolates"

[DetlefK]

3. They can already estimate the impact:

If they know what kind of radioactive atom there is, they know how it behaves in the food-chain and the body. They know how fast it decays.

If they know how much has come out, the can estimate how much radiation you get.



And it's not as if there is no radioactivity in nature.
Cement is radioactive. It exudes the radioactive gas Radon. (That's why you should always properly vent basements.)
Marble kitchen-tops are radioactive. (Because all the non-radioactive marble has already been mined.)
Milk contains the radioactive Calcium-40 isotope.
Long-distance-flights on a plane are so high that you get radiation from the upper atmosphere.

[kimbutgar]

4. Marie Currie died from being exposed to radiation in small doses

[scipan]

5. Doesn't sound very radioactive from Wikipedia

Naturally occurring ruthenium (44Ru) is composed of seven stable isotopes. Additionally, 27 radioactive isotopes have been discovered. Of these radioisotopes, the most stable are 106Ru, with a half-life of 373.59 days; 103Ru, with a half-life of 39.26 days and 97Ru, with a half-life of 2.9 days.
Twenty-four other radioisotopes have been characterized with atomic weights ranging from 86.95 u (87Ru) to 119.95 u (120Ru). Most of these have half-lives that are less than five minutes, excepting 95Ru (half-life: 1.643 hours) and 105Ru (half-life: 4.44 hours).
The primary decay mode before the most abundant isotope, 102Ru, is electron capture and the primary mode after is beta emission. The primary decay product before 102Ru is technetium and the primary product after is rhodium.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isotopes_of_ruthenium

Not completely safe either...