CRI听力: Expert: No Need to Worry about the Radioactive Contamination

According to China's National Nuclear Emergency Coordination Committee, or cnnECC, harmless levels of radioactive materials from a crippled Japanese nuclear power plant can still be found in most regions of China on Sunday, but experts say that protective measures are not necessary.

According to IAEA, at 1 p.m. yesterday, no changes have been observed on the readings at the on-site radiation monitoring posts at the quake-damaged Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan and levels of radiation in surrounding areas were down.

Our reporter Li Dong has the details.

Recently, extremely low levels of radioactive isotope iodine-131 were detected in the air over the Yellow Sea and some areas of all provincial-level regions except Yunnan. Trace levels of radioactive isotope cesium-137 and -134 were detected in the air of 22 of mainland's 31 provinces and regions.

However, the detection of radioactive materials in vegetables triggered the public's concern. Minimal amounts of iodine-131 were detected in spinach planted in Beijing, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shandong. The radioactive isotope was found on lettuce and Chinese cabbage in Guangdong.

Zhang Wanshi, professor at the radiology department in the Air Force General Hospital in Beijing, says there is really no need to worry about the possibility of radioactive contamination. As for the current level of radioactive materials found in vegetables, just washing can effectively clean them.

"The current levels of radioactive materials are very low, so there is no need to panic or take any precautions, plus, there is nothing you can do with it. I've heard some people take iodine pills. Taking normal iodine can prevent our hypothyroid from absorbing radioactive iodine, however, the current dose detected in many places across China is extremely low. So there is no need to take these measures unless you are in Fukushima."

Experts estimate that the dose of eating 3,500 kg of the radioactive material-affected vegetables at this level can reach the level of taking an X-Ray picture.

As a radiologist, Zhang Wanshi, has been working with radioactive materials all his life. He says there are other ways people may be exposed to a radioactive environment, like taking an X-Ray and CT scan. But the dose is limited.

"The annual radioactive receive dose for ordinary should be 1 to 3 millisievert (mSv). For people who engage in radiation related work, like radiologists, their annual dose should be no more than 20 mSv. An X-Ray picture gives about 0.02 mSv radiation. But for a CT scan it gives 6-8 mSv. So wearing lead is necessary to protect some key parts of the patient's body, like the head, hypothyroid and sex organs when they are doing a CT scan. We advocate low dose CT scanning. But this has higher demands for CT equipment."

Zhang Wanshi emphasizes there is no medicine that can effectively prevent radioactive risks. Doing regular exercise and enhance your immune system is a more practical way to deal with radioactive effects.

For CRI, I am Li Dong.