In a series of tweets released yesterday the ISRN, France’s nuclear watchdog, reaffirmed that there was no risk to human health from the mysterious radiation that was found all over Europe.
In addition to those reassurances the ISRN stated that the levels of radiation that were encountered in this release are 1000 times lover than those found in the wake of the Fukushima disaster.
What is perhaps more interesting is that they posit that the origin of the radioactive iodine-131 was from a facility that manufactured isotopes for medical purposes.
They assert that none of the other kinds of radiation that would be found after a nuclear disaster have been encountered. That points to a very specific kind of nuclear facility.
Science alert has proposed a similar theory, and given references to an incident that occurred in 2011 as evidence. Iodine-131 is widely used to treat certain kinds of cancer, and is manufactured for that purpose in Europe.
They also draw a connection between the arrival of the US Air Force WC-135 in the UK and this incident, but give no additional information to substantiate that involvement.
No one has stepped up to claim responsibility for the emission of radiation, and without more evidence it is impossible to say for sure what is going on.
If we do assume that the experts are correct in their theory of a leaking medical isotope facility, the concern becomes where it is, and why no one has announced that they were the source of the leak.
If in fact the release of this radiation was an accident, we have to wonder if the facility is aware that they are leaking radioactive iodine-131 into the atmosphere?
Only time will tell, and given the level of mystery surrounding this incident so far, we may be waiting a while for solid answers.
[via zerohedge]
I remember of a similar story in france on river Loire.
There was a strange I131 contamination on loire detected by the nuclear powerplant facilities.
No danger, but something that may be linked to a dysfunction….
No problem was identified in any power plant, and they pushed the inquiryfurther until they found the stupid
One patient in a hospital was having a Positron-Emission Camera scan, using 131iodin as tracer.
She was instructed to use the nuclear-waste toilets, but used the mainstream toilet.
the tiny dose that was not dangerous for the patient, was detected as trace by all detectors.
This is the problem with modern analysis.
You detect traces that are very useful to detect problems, but if people take them irrationally it led to irrational fears.
today you can detect a healthy woman peeing in a river. don’t panic.