Radiation in fish from Indian Point Leakage

[Guest guest]

Hudson River fish found to contain radioactive isotope

By Greg Clary

The Journal News

(Original Publication: January 16, 2007)

 

Strontium 90's effect on health

Strontium 90 is chemically similar to calcium, and tends to deposit in bone

and blood-forming tissue (bone marrow). Thus, strontium 90 is referred to as

a " bone seeker. " Internal exposure to strontium 90 is linked to bone cancer,

cancer of the soft tissue near the bone, and leukemia.

Risk of cancer increases with increased exposure to strontium 90. The risk

depends on the concentrations in the environment and on the exposure

conditions.

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

 

BUCHANAN - In what could be the region's next environmental controversy or

simply just a laboratory mistake, fish in the Hudson River have been found to

contain traces of strontium 90.

The radioactive isotope was discovered leaking almost a year ago at the

Indian Point nuclear plants, and tests on 12 fish show four with detectible

amounts, according to a memo obtained by The Journal News.

The tests were conducted for Entergy Nuclear Northeast, which owns the

plants, after researchers pulled the fish from the river during the summer - six

from the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge area, and the rest from around Indian Point.

" Certainly it's of concern that the strontium was found in 25 percent of the

sampling, " said C.J. Miller, spokeswoman for Rockland County Executive C.

Scott Vanderhoef. " The origin of that is something that we need to determine.

If

indeed it is coming from the plant itself, then that needs to be remedied

immediately. " Ce

The company has spent millions to find and stop the leaks, but so far have

only been able to capture much of the radiated water without successfully

plugging the sources.

No other radioactive isotopes were found in the fish, federal regulators

said.

Three of the upriver fish had strontium levels ranging as high as 24.5

picocuries per kilogram, while one taken from near the plant showed 18.8

picocuries per kilogram, according to results first released late last week.

Picocuries measure radioactivity level in the tiniest amounts, and though the

Nuclear Regulatory Commission doesn't set safe minimums for fish,

Westchester County officials said the mean detectible level is 10 picocuries

per

kilogram.

Strontium has a half-life of nearly 29 years and was banned in the United

States after weapons testing in the 1950s and 1960s left large amounts in the

atmosphere.

Health officials warned at the time that it competed with calcium in human

bodies, especially in growing children, and could affect bone development.

Public officials, regulators and plant owners are eager to see more sampling

results to determine if the results were merely inaccurate, as false

positives are more likely at low levels, or is something more significant.

" We have samples that quite honestly seem to be a little questionable, " We

have samples that quite honestly seem to be a little questionable,<WBR> " said

Anthony Sutton, Westchester County's top emergency management offi

Sutton said the fact the majority of fish testing positive for strontium 90

had been found 30 miles away in the control group only muddies the results

more.

As part of its investigation into groundwater contamination at Indian Point,

Entergy has increased its monitoring of aquatic life in the Hudson River,

including bass, perch, sunfish and eel. The strontium 90 has shown up in the

fleshy parts of the fish, not the bones, which surprised regulators.

Plant officials have acknowledged that a tritium leak discovered in August

2005 and strontium leaks discovered in February have likely reached the river,

though they and NRC regulators have maintained there is no threat to worker

safety or public health.

Jim Steets, Indian Point's spokesman, said state Department of Environmental

Conservation officials have been tracking strontium levels in fish around the

nuclear plant, and strontium has shown up in fish at these levels before,

levels he said were more background readings than a real cause for concern.

Attempts to reach the state DEC yesterday were unsuccessful because the

offices were closed for the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

NRC spokesman Neil Sheehan said his agency was interested in reviewing state

data for the area for comparisons while awaiting more sampling data.

" We don't consider this a serious situation, " Sheehan said. " We would very

much like to gather some more information before we make any judgments on this.

There are several issues that may call these results into question. "

Opponents of the nuclear plant said yesterday that they want to see more

research done as well, to determine how significant the impact on the river is

from the leaks.

" If the levels of strontium 90 in Hudson River fish are indeed above

background levels, this confirms Riverkeeper' " If the levels of strontium 90 in

Hudson

River fish are indeed above background levels, this confirms

Riverkeeper'<WBR>s worst fears, " said Lisa Rainwater, the Indian Point campaign

coordinator

for Riverkeeper. " Based on the preliminary data, the leak is likely affecting

the en