I figure this is yet another nuclear hysteria question, but I noticed a blip in this morning’s paper about scientists finding trace amounts of cesium-137 in Kyoto’s rain. So could repeated (or at all) exposure to the rainwater contribute to health issues, or should I feel safe walking outside during rainstorms?
Trace amounts are very small, but there could be a cumulative effect if you are exposed repeated over a long period of time. Did they provide a number with regard to amount that was detected?
Let’s see if there are any radiation experts or doctors around to answer the question definitively.
They didn’t give any numbers- the blip I read basically just stated “rainwater that was radioactive fell in Kyoto prefecture, expert analysis has revealed traces of cesium-134 and cesium-137. Local government has determined the water isn’t a health hazard to humans” (that last sentence basically accompanies anything about radiation published in Japan these days, so people don’t put much stock in it.)
Be better off in California- seems it never rains in Southern California.
That tells you a whole lot more about how good modern detection equipment is than about any dangers.
One thing that people forget is that we are exposed to low doses of radiation all the time. When we go to the dentist to get our teeth x-rayed, when we have certain medical procedures, or when we fly in an airplane.
Without knowing the extent of the radiation in the rain it would be hard to determine how dangerous it is. Since rainwater can often be a source of ground water that would certainly be something I would be concerned about, but without the reporting agency providing specific information on the quantity of radiation it’s hard to say what effect it might have on the general population.
Since the less radiation you are exposed to the better, I would avoid interaction with any radioactive rain or resultant water whenever possible.
Even if the health risks are considered minimal why take a chance?