Japan rocked with 8.9 earthquake.

[smokey the elder]

(geek hat on)
The problem with radioactivity is, it depends on which isotope. Iodine 131 is the stuff that goes to the thyroid. This stuff has a half life of 8 days. So even if it did get into fish, it would decay rapidly to inert (stable) elements.

On the other hand, you have strontium 90, which has a half-life of 28.8 years; and cesium 137, about 30 years. Sr 90 is the isotope which is like calcium and goes into the bones; and Cs 137 is in the sodium group. These are what made the milk dangerous after Chernobyl. It is the longer half-life isotopes that are the worst, especially since they like to get into the system and hang around, causing great amounts of damage.

(geek hat off)

[pomtzu]

I don't think the U.S should be in a panic state over any radiation that might reach us. Sure, none would be ideal, but the small amounts that could get here are certainly not going to be a threat to the food and water supply and our lives - IMO. I've had enough x-rays in my lifetime for dozens of people, and I'm not glowing yet, and I'm certain I won't die from radiation poisoning. The U.S. needs to be a lot more worried about the pesticides that we use - the amounts that get into the soil and water and food that we eat. I'm a lot more concerned about that, than the possibility of somewhat elevated radiation levels from the Japan disaster.

[smokey the elder]

I found this incredible graphic showing the amount of radiation you get from different sources. http://xkcd.com/radiation/

[Kirsten]

Now they say Plutonium is leaking, they detected neutron beams several times, which means that now the really bad stuff is set free. Things are getting pretty scary!

The article I read was a German one, otherwise I would post a link. And on German tv, they say that radiation in Fukushima has never been as high as today...

[Karen]

The news grows continually worse. NHK right now says they have detected cesium in the soil 50 km from the plant, 5 cm down, that is over 1000 times normal.

This is just bad, and the fact that the Japanese just had people evacuate within 30 km makes this even more horrifying. I am glad the American government told every American within 50 miles (about 80 km) and I hope many Japanese heard that and moved away also.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

They are saying that dangerous levels are reaching Tokyo now and some of the water is contaminated as well as some foods.

[smokey the elder]

They found cesium? Uh, oh that's not good.

I read the I 131 in the water has dropped to under 100 (it was 210 yesterday) and is safe for babies again.

I would think they could use ion exchange (chloride for iodide) to remove the iodine. I think a simple Brita filter would work; just store it for awhile in a thick walled plastic container once it's used. (Just like kitty litter after iodine treatment for hyperthyroid cats. It's the same isotope.)