Radiation detected in Iceland
Source: Agencies |
March 23, 2011, Wednesday
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Print Edition
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Tiny numbers of radioactive particles believed to have come from Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant have been detected as far away as Iceland, diplomatic sources said yesterday.
But they stressed that the traces, measured by a network of international monitoring stations as they spread eastwards from Japan across the Pacific, North America, the Atlantic and to Europe, were far too low to cause any harm to humans.
"It's only a matter of days before it disperses in the entire northern hemisphere," said Andreas Stohl, a senior scientist at the Norwegian Institute for Air Research. "Over Europe there would be no concern about human health."
The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization, a United Nations body that monitors possible breaches of the atom bomb test ban, has 63 stations worldwide for observing such particles, including one in the Icelandic capital, Reykjavik.
They can pick up tiny amounts, iodine isotopes in this case. The organization continuously provides data to member states, but does not make the details public.
"They measure extremely small amounts," one diplomat said. "It has nothing to do with any health risks."
Another source said about 15 of the organization's stations had detected particles believed to originate from the Fukushima nuclear complex.
"Reykjavik is the first in Europe," the source added.
But the Icelandic Radiation Safety Authority said it had not been informed about any radiation and was checking.
Last week, similarly tiny amounts of radiation were detected in California.
But they stressed that the traces, measured by a network of international monitoring stations as they spread eastwards from Japan across the Pacific, North America, the Atlantic and to Europe, were far too low to cause any harm to humans.
"It's only a matter of days before it disperses in the entire northern hemisphere," said Andreas Stohl, a senior scientist at the Norwegian Institute for Air Research. "Over Europe there would be no concern about human health."
The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization, a United Nations body that monitors possible breaches of the atom bomb test ban, has 63 stations worldwide for observing such particles, including one in the Icelandic capital, Reykjavik.
They can pick up tiny amounts, iodine isotopes in this case. The organization continuously provides data to member states, but does not make the details public.
"They measure extremely small amounts," one diplomat said. "It has nothing to do with any health risks."
Another source said about 15 of the organization's stations had detected particles believed to originate from the Fukushima nuclear complex.
"Reykjavik is the first in Europe," the source added.
But the Icelandic Radiation Safety Authority said it had not been informed about any radiation and was checking.
Last week, similarly tiny amounts of radiation were detected in California.
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