The use of potassium to reduce the radio contamination of test crop foodstuffs grown in fallout contaminated areas of the Marshall Islands: https://marshallislands.llnl.gov/bikini.php One key factor that helps explain why cesium-137 plays such a important role in contributing to radiation exposure in the Marshall Islands is that coral soils are known to contain little or no clay material and very low concentrations of naturally occurring potassium—an alkaline earth element that shares similar properties with cesium. These conditions result in increased uptake of cesium-137 from soil and incorporation into plants relative to the rate of cesium-137 uptake from continental soils. Consequently, the significance of dietary intakes of cesium-137 from eating locally grown foods was initially overlooked because early models in radioecology were based on continental type soils and exposure conditions. Knowledge of the unique behavior of cesium-137 in potassium-poor coral soil environments has also been instrumental in helping guide remediation experiments designed to reduce the dose delivered to resettled or resettling populations. The first of a series of long-term field experiments was established on Bikini Island during the late 1980s to evaluate potential remediation techniques to reduce the uptake of cesium-137 into plants (Robison and Stone, 1998). Based on these experiments, the most effective and practical method for reducing the uptake of cesium-137 into food crop products was to treat agricultural areas with potassium fertilizer (KCl). The addition of potassium had the added benefit of increasing the growth rate and productivity of some food crops with essentially no adverse environmental impacts. One alternative is to excavate the top 30 to 40 cm of soil, but this type of remedial process would be much more expensive to implement over a large area. Furthermore, excavation carries away all the soil organic matter needed to maintain the water retention capacity of coral soils and supply essential nutrients to support plant growth. Soil excavation also necessitates a very long-term commitment to rebuild the soil and revegetate the land. Large-scale field experiments on Bikini Island have been used to optimize the required amount and application rates of potassium (Figure 3). The results from these experiments show that a single application of 2000 kg per ha of potassium can be effective in reducing the cesium-137 uptake in coconut meat (and juice) to about 5% to 10% of the pretreatment level. Multiple applications (over several months) of the same total amount of potassium produce even better and more consistent results. Moreover, the concentration of cesium-137 in the coconuts following remediation remains low for an extended period of time, so the need for continuous effort and retention of scientific and technical expertise is minimized (Robison et al., 2004). In fact, the use of potassium was adopted by the Rongelap Atoll Local Government (RALGOV) as part of a combined option for rehabilitation and cleanup of Rongelap Island (Rongelap Atoll). The combined option calls for (1) the treatment of agricultural areas of the island with potassium fertilizer to reduce the uptake of cesium-137 into plants, and (2) the replacement of contaminated surface soil around the village and housing areas with crushed-coral fill in order to help minimize external exporsure rates in areas where people spend most of their time. This same type of approach would be applicable to reducing dose rates on Bikini Island. end quote, Lawrence Livermore Labs. IF Cs 137 , Cs 137 = K40, as the nuclear propaganda were true, apply potassium fertilizer to the cesium 137 contaminated soil would result in more radioactivity not less, in the test crops. It does not, for well known reasons to any person trained in radiological safety and hazard monitoring. Which tends to show that in relation to the cesium contaminated foods sold in Japan (and elsewhere) either the Japanese government is ignorant or lying. Take you pick.
Posted on: Fri, 26 Dec 2014 06:51:54 +0000
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