JAPAN TIMES: Plutonium traces point to core leak, Heavy fuel rod damage feared

[flamingdem]

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110329x1.html

Plutonium traces point to core leak
Heavy fuel rod damage feared; trenches fill up with toxic water

By MINORU MATSUTANI

Plutonium that may have come from a reactor core at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant was detected in soil on the premises, indicating fuel rods suffered heavy damage, Tokyo Electric Power Co. has revealed.

Although Tepco said late Monday the amount detected, based on soil samples taken a week ago, is extremely small and not enough to harm human health, the latest finding indicated not just heavy damage to fuel rods but also that strong radioactive materials are possibly leaking from at least one reactor containment vessel.

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"Plutonium is emitted only when the temperature (inside a reactor's core) is really high. That shows how badly (the fuel rods) were damaged and how serious this accident is," Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency official Hidehiko Nishiyama said at a separate news conference Tuesday. "Still, the amount is not an immediate threat to human health."

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Tepco collected soil samples in five locations within the plant's premises on March 21 and 22. At one of the five sites, plutonium-238 with a density of 0.54 becquerel per kilogram of soil was detected, while another site had 0.18 becquerel.

[Botany]

1. How long has this been going on?

Plutonium, cesium, iodine, & strontium have all been detected in the environment outside of the reactors ....
these radionuclides can be the result of a meltdown or some kind of uncontrolled fission reaction.

I hope the world finds a way to get this nightmare under control.

[flamingdem]

2. Truly. And since the Japanese are masters of understatement this line worries me:

"Plutonium is emitted only when the temperature (inside a reactor's core) is really high. That shows how badly (the fuel rods) were damaged and how serious this accident is,"

[DCKit]

3. Don't worry. Be Happy!

One of our Nnewcuelur apologists will be along shortly to explain to you why this is a GOOD thing.

[flamingdem]

4. Good I'd like an explanation of this chart of pressures pointing to problems in No.2 and 3

What's up with the negative pressure readings?

[Name removed]

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