OT: Chernobyl radioactivity (was Re: booze words

In a message dated 5/11/2008 09:53:14 AM Central Daylight Time,
lars.finsen@ORTYGIA.NO writes:


> Of course, after Chernobyl they warned us about the radioactivity
> takeup in mushrooms, but most of the Chernobyl 90Sr and 137Cs in our
> environment is washed out by now.
>




The half-lives of strontium-90 and cesium-137 are 28.8 and 30.23 years,
respectively.  Both act like other elements (strontium like calcium and cesium like
potassium) which are readily incorporated into tissues, where they remain and
propagate up the food chain.
They won't be negligible for generations, if not centuries.
Where do you think these radioactive isotopes are washed out to?  The
environment?

stevo   </HTML>

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