“In the case of the hot particles and sequentially decaying isotopes like Strontium-90 or Tellurium-132, they have the ability to decay twice or several times. This can result in a second event hazard because an initial hit to a cell can force it into repair and replication sequences during which a second hit will result in an invisible mutation, because the cell will not be able to do a second repair before it replicates. [Busby 1997, Cox and Edwards, 2000, Busby, 2000]”

http://www.llrc.org/belarus.htm

Have you interviewed Dr. Chris Busby yet? He is often in the Los Angeles area and has been an expert witness for victims of Rocketdyne in the recent past (see his C.V.). Also, consulting with helpful non-pro-nuke Health Physicists such as Mr. Dan Parks (Ventura County resident) will go a long way in learning how they go about detecting specific isotopes. Dan was active as a community member and put several state and federal regulators to task at SSFL meetings, not to mention nailing the polluter felon as well.

An Inspector Device, though wonderful in its own right, cannot distinguish the decay sequences of say hot particles I131 or Pu239 or Sr90 or tell us if you are actually specifically detecting either I131, either Pu239 or Sr90, for example. It cannot tell you what it is, specifically, you are sampling for at Rocketdyne, either. There is a way to find this info…

Touring laboratories in California that DTSC relies upon is one thought. GETTING AWAY FROM SM FOR A WHILE AND ACTUALLY GOING to UCB to observe the Germanium detection apparatus up there is another. Visiting a milk dairy and observing the methods that are used to detect Cs134 or Cs137 or I131 or Sr90 in milk is another. Know why Vitamin D is added to American Milk? To somehow protect us from Sr90. Know when it began to be added to our milk? During atmospheric nuke tests. Vitamin D is here to stay, for good reason. So, the milk people know something the rest of us do not, have you investigated this angle? What about local universities such as CalTech, UCSD, CSULB? How about PSR’s help regarding medical radiation equipment, et al — isotopes galore are in use these days for a myriad of diagnoses and treatment methodologies on both humans and animals. Physicians and Veterinarians alike must KNOW the specific isotopes in play as they go about working with their patients.

Spectroscopy similarly has its limitations it seems. Relying on just one analytical method is shortsighted. Please keep searching, you will find answers.

Respectful observance: I always thought that asking for donations made you guys look cheap — like salesmen on a one-way street — there has got to be a more thoughtful and effective way to achieve what you want here as an investigative reporter.

Busby: “Following an initial decay from an Sr-90 atom bound to a chromosome, the second decay from the daughter, Yttrium-90, whose half-life is 64hrs can hit the same cell in the induced replication sequence with a probability that is simple to calculate. The same dose from external radiation has a vanishingly small chance of effecting the same process. The second type of Second Event exposure, referred to in Busby 2000a, is from micron or sub- micron sized ‘hot particles’. If lodged in tissue, these will decay again and again increasing the probability of multiple hits to the same cell inside the 10 hour repair replication period…”

The Second Event Theory. Makes more sense now the need to identify the isotopes found at Radiation Station rather than guess at them with the Inspector’s CPM counts that in no way show if you are dealing with Yttrium-90 or parent Strontium-90 (by way of yet another example). Each isotope needs identifying. As you two well know, some isotopes are calcium-mimicking-bone-seekers (Sr90), some are potassium-mimicking-muscle-seekers (Cs137), some hang out in glands like thyroid-seeking I131, the list goes on and on… The Inspector Device does NOT distinguish between internal damaging hot particles, no matter how loud one shouts POPPYCOCK. CPMs are just CPMs only. As Professor Busby and others illustrate, we need to KNOW what SPECIFICALLY is in the air, dust, soil, water, and food. CPMs do not fulfill that critical need. Counting is not the same as identifying.

Buck up and smile, your work is invaluable, and does not go unappreciated in this neck of the woods.

i know you must be real disappointed, but i think the contributors would be up for you using the raised funds to buy more inspectors.

with a lump of cash like that, you should be able to get a good wholesale price. one each for the contributors? plus a few spare…………….

dont go down the drain friend – much depends on you keeping up the fight.

with peace and prayers

As it is, I fear going outside during rainstorms, much less planting my annual food garden. The details of an isotopic identifier doesn’t help me very much.

Thank you,

SAR