Sunday, March 25, 2012

Hidden Tritium


Majia here

After corresponding with Ret Cap Clyde Stagner for over a year about radiation, we had the opportunity to meet last month. He and his wife are extremely scientifically minded and very well-educated. 

Their knowledge and expertise were simply extensive. I could have asked questions for hours because I was learning so much (my husband and sons concur).

Deep into retirement, Clyde has published yet another book. I sure hope I can publish such quality work in my retirement.

Here is the PREFACE and the outline (but not details) of the book.

Hidden Tritium by Clyde Stagner

PREFACE

Phoenix, AZ has a blanket of tritium hidden from view which reaches a multitude of residents.

Insidious, and manipulated by nature and unknowingly by humans, tritium, each half of which remains potentially abusive for 12.3 years. Tritium is a threat to human health wherever water is present.

During the years 1985 through 2010, the EPA periodically measured tritium in the rainfall descending on Phoenix and collected by the Arizona Radiation Regulatory Agency, ARRA.

The monitored tritium concentrations were considered outside the realm of adverse human health effects.

Appendix A, of this publication, contains all known EPA tritium precipitation monitoring results for the years indicted. The EPA data, Appendix A, has been used to ascertain the presence and effects of tritium on the residents of Phoenix of which pregnant women, babies, and children are the most vulnerable

Since December 2011, there has been no known monitoring or reporting of tritium in the precipitation of Phoenix and its adjoined cities.

CHAPTER 1 HAZARD

Outlines known facts about tritium as an isotope and its impacts on human health.

The chapter also addresses known research about leukemia and congenital aberrations causing stillbirths and infant deaths occurring in populations living near nuclear plants.

Tritium is a likely culprit for these problems because, as a radioactive isotope of hydrogen, it is very difficult to contain and nuclear plants release it (nearly continuously).

It is also a beta particle.

Its effects have been underestimated, and now researchers are beginning to recognize the dangers it poses for human health.

CHAPTER 2 RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPES and CHAPTER 3 RADIATION DOSES

Outlines collected EPA data about specific types of radiation levels in Phoenix (including Uranium, Cesium, and Plutonium) and argues that radiation in Phoenix is being influenced by the local nuclear plant, Palo Verde.

CHAPTER 4 TRITIUM HERITAGE

Outlines EPA’s history of tritium monitoring and the exemption of Phoenix data.  [MAJIA HERE: NOT PRETTY!)

CHAPTER 5 TRITIUM INSIDE

Outlines how tritium pervades local water and air and explains how it gets incorporated in the atmosphere of the home and the body.

CHAPTER 6 TRITIUM IN PRECIPITATION

Outlines spread of tritium into environment through precipitation, including uptake by plants.

CONCLUSION

Concludes that established laboratory research on the adverse health effects of tritium on cells warrants that the EPA establish extensive monitoring of tritium level exposures in AZ .

The same would be advised of other areas of the US that are located reactors.

Majia here: Clyde Stagner's book demonstrates that the EPA, for some reason, is failing to protect the public health despite the known pervasiveness and health risks of tritium.

Why is the EPA failing to take protective action now that we know so much about the health effects of various chemicals and radionuclides?

In its partial defense, please note that every time the EPA takes protective action, it gets sued by some industry coalition or some particularly powerful corporation





1 comment:

  1. The Trouble With Tritium, it is otherwise water, you can't filter it in any way.

    ReplyDelete

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