Highest level of radioactive cesium in San Francisco-area milk since August 2011 — Now at 150% of EPA’s maximum contaminant limit (CHART)

Highest level of radioactive cesium in San Francisco-area milk since August 2011 — Now at 150% of EPA’s maximum contaminant limit (CHART)
Published: February 7th, 2012 at 6:28 pm ET
By ENENews
Email Article
117 comments
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Title: UCB Milk Sampling Results
Source: UCBDepartment of Nuclear Engineering
Date: Feb 6, 2012

2/6/2012 (2:31pm): A new milk sample has been measured, this one with a best-by date of 2/16/2012. The results are posted to the milk sample page. Low levels of both Cs-134 and Cs-137 were still detected in the sample.
Best Buy Date of 02/16/2012:

Cs-134 @ 0.052 Bq/L
Cs-137 @ 0.115 Bq/L
0.167 Bq/L of radioactive cesium = 4.526 picocuries/L (1 Bq = 27.1 picocuries)

The EPA Maximum Contaminant Level for radioactive cesium in milk is 3 picocuries/L:

“EPA lumps these gamma and beta emitters together under one collective MCL [Maximum Contaminant Level], so if you’re seeing cesium-137 in your milk or water, the MCL is 3.0 picocuries per liter; if you’re seeing iodine-131, the MCL is 3.0; if you’re seeing cesium-137 and iodine-131, the MCL is still 3.0.” -Forbes.com

These are the highest cesium levels detected by UCB since at least August 2011 (As the MDA was higher over the summer, it’s hard to be sure of the exact levels at that time):





h/t Anonymous Tip

Other recent news concerning the San Francisco Bay Area
Highest level of radioactive cesium in San Francisco-area milk since August 2011 -- Now at 150% of EPA's maximum contaminant limit (CHART) (117) February 7, 2012
Over EPA limit: Cesium levels in San Francisco area milk now higher than 6 months ago (107) January 16, 2012
220 days later: Radiation levels in San Francisco-area milk remain above EPA's Max Contaminant Level -- Cesium-137 continues steady increase that began in August (64) October 20, 2011
Cesium nearly doubles over past month in Bay Area milk -- Now well above EPA's maximum contaminant level (84) September 29, 2011
Dept. of Homeland Security-funded Study: Up to 430 pCi/liter of radioactive iodine found in N. California rain after Fukushima (CHART) (70) September 22, 2011
Other recent news concerning the testing of Milk
Highest level of radioactive cesium in San Francisco-area milk since August 2011 -- Now at 150% of EPA's maximum contaminant limit (CHART) (117) February 7, 2012
Over EPA limit: Cesium levels in San Francisco area milk now higher than 6 months ago (107) January 16, 2012
Radiation levels spike in Miyagi milk -- Highest since March (10) January 13, 2012
Local gov't tests kids' lunches: Tokyo nursery school serving milk with 18 Bq/kg of cesium -- Over 160 times EPA limit -- Milk industry protested testing (39) December 5, 2011
220 days later: Radiation levels in San Francisco-area milk remain above EPA's Max Contaminant Level -- Cesium-137 continues steady increase that began in August (64) October 20, 2011