Implications of Radiation on Americans from WWII

[Edemardil]

Hi everyone,

 

I remember being in a chem lecture a few years back and the professor was talking about all of these common ailments and illnesses that people in the USA suffer from that have been linked to the radiation from testing and even the drops on Japan in WWII. Does anyone know anything about that or have a source for me? I am really interested in this and I'm doing some research.

[Sensei]

46 minutes ago, Edemardil said:

I remember being in a chem lecture a few years back and the professor was talking about all of these common ailments and illnesses that people in the USA suffer from that have been linked to the radiation from testing and even the drops on Japan in WWII. Does anyone know anything about that or have a source for me?

Even some quantum physics who worked on Manhattan project died because of radiation released because of their mistake in couple days after accident:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Slotin

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Daghlian

 

Byproduct of fission of Uranium-235 is e.g. Caesium-137, which is soluble in water, and can spread on the large area, in clouds and rain, and then drunk by people in liquid contaminated water. When radioactive isotope decays inside of living organism, it's causing random damage of cell and DNA.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caesium-137

Other byproducts of fission are Strontium and Barium-141, which replace Calcium in bones of living organisms, and can remain in them for longer time, and then decay.

Barium-141 can beta minus decay to Lantanum-141 and then can alpha decay to Caesium-137:

[math]^{141}_{56}Ba \rightarrow ^{141}_{57}La + e^- + \bar{v}_e[/math]

[math]^{141}_{57}La \rightarrow ^{137}_{55}Cs + ^4_2He[/math]

or it can alpha decay to Xenon-137, then it can beta minus decay to Caesium-137:

[math]^{141}_{56}Ba \rightarrow ^{137}_{54}Xe + ^4_2He[/math]

[math]^{137}_{54}Xe \rightarrow ^{137}_{55}Cs + e^- + \bar{v}_e[/math]

Edited July 24, 2018 by Sensei

[Edemardil]

Interesting. She may have been making something up, but I remember it being a "Oh, wow that everyday thing is directly related to that?" It was like something that is passed down now in Americans or something along those lines. I'll keep looking.

[swansont]

44 minutes ago, Edemardil said:

Hi everyone,

 

I remember being in a chem lecture a few years back and the professor was talking about all of these common ailments and illnesses that people in the USA suffer from that have been linked to the radiation from testing and even the drops on Japan in WWII. Does anyone know anything about that or have a source for me? I am really interested in this and I'm doing some research.

The US did above-ground testing (atmospheric testing) for a number of years. The Bikini atoll tests were among these, but also in the US southwest desert area.

Googling on atomic testing health effects yielded several results

https://www.ctbto.org/nuclear-testing/the-effects-of-nuclear-testing/general-overview-of-theeffects-of-nuclear-testing/

[zapatos]

I remember as a kid my dad mailing my baby teeth into a study on the effects of nuclear fallout on children.

Quote

As the Baby Tooth Survey later proved, strontium 90 was ending up in pastures and fields, in grass consumed by goats and cows. It worked its way up the food chain into children’s milk. And because the chemistry of strontium 90 is similar to calcium, it was taken up by bones and teeth.

https://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/health/decades-later-baby-tooth-survey-legacy-lives-on/article_c5ad9492-fd75-5aed-897f-850fbdba24ee.html

[Edemardil]

On 7/24/2018 at 2:49 PM, zapatos said:

I remember as a kid my dad mailing my baby teeth into a study on the effects of nuclear fallout on children.

https://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/health/decades-later-baby-tooth-survey-legacy-lives-on/article_c5ad9492-fd75-5aed-897f-850fbdba24ee.html

That is extremely interesting. Thanks for that information. Where did you grow up, if I might ask?

[StringJunky]

On 24/07/2018 at 7:49 PM, zapatos said:

I remember as a kid my dad mailing my baby teeth into a study on the effects of nuclear fallout on children.

https://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/health/decades-later-baby-tooth-survey-legacy-lives-on/article_c5ad9492-fd75-5aed-897f-850fbdba24ee.html

No Tooth Fairy then leaving sixpence under your pillow?

[beecee]

4 hours ago, StringJunky said:

No Tooth Fairy then leaving sixpence under your pillow?

Darn! The Aussie tooth fairy must have been a real tight wad...the most I ever got left was threepence! 

 

In relation to the article, Great Britain conducted 12 atomic tests in South Australia in the early/mid fifties...most from memory were air borne tests. It required the removal of the indigenous traditional land owners to other regions. I specifically remember reading reports of adverse medical conditions and deformaties of children of Australian troops who were stationed in the region. https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/new-generations-of-australian-families-suffering-deformities-and-early-deaths-because-of-genetic-transfer/news-story/5a74b7eab2f433402aa00bc2fcbcbea4

[zapatos]

5 hours ago, Edemardil said:

That is extremely interesting. Thanks for that information. Where did you grow up, if I might ask?

I was born in and grew up in the city of St. Louis.