In June of 2012, a report was made confirming the presence of low levels of tritium in ground water and the Connecticut river near Vermont Yankee. The report says that there is no risk to human health; however, it raises the possibility of there being risks in the future. Vermont Yankee is the only nuclear reactor in the state of Vermont, and it is located in Vernon, Windham County, Vermont. Overall, tritium levels have been decreasing over the past year, which is a good thing as radiation poses health risks for women's reproductive health. In pregnant women, radiation can harm the fetus because it is much more susceptible to lower radiation doses. Children are also more susceptible. As a medical student hoping to return to the area someday, it is something to keep in mind, especially for female patients that are pregnant and work at Vermont Yankee. It is hoped that all safety precautions are being followed; however, it is very important to be mindful of the possibilities as well.
Link to the Report
Background information on Tritium
Something to consider; it is possible for the tritiated water to travel laterally in the ground water and eventually be taken up by plants. Some of this tritiated water could be incorporated in carbohydrate formation, effectively sequestering the radioactive tritium. It is possible for crops, destined for human or livestock consumption, to contain these radioactive isotopes in their structure. The half-life of tritium is 12.32 years. While this is not as long as other heavier isotopes, it still represents a significant period of time. Tritium held in stored body fat could represent a long-term insidious exposure to radiation. Ridding tritiated water from the body can be done by normal water cycling over a number of days. Ridding the body of larger organic molecules containing tritium pose a greater challenge.
ReplyDeleteI am also from Vermont, and have followed the VT Yankee proceedings in the news. Tritium leaking into the ground water may be reason enough to reconsider keeping the plant. The tritium itself is not as ominous as the reasons why the tritium escaped to begin with. Aging, crumbling infrastructure is the cause of the leak and is the bigger threat to the region. What other facilities within the plant are next to fail?