Iodine-131 also found in Philadelphia-area sewage plants; Sludge se...

July 22nd, 2011

(ENENews) – Cancer patients’ urine suspected in Wissahickon iodine-131 levels, Philadelphia Inquirer, July 21, 2011:

Since [early April], officials have found more iodine-131 in the Wissahickon, and at several sewage treatment plants along the creek. [...]

The source they now suspect was a surprise. Iodine-131 is used to treat thyroid cancer, and they suspect it’s coming from patients excreting excess radioactivity in their urine [...]

Any time substances wind up in water, sewage treatment plants are an obvious suspect. So the DEP began checking them. This is when the picture began to get even more complicated. [...] In a first round of samples, officials found it in the Ambler plant. Ten days later, the amount at Ambler had dropped somewhat, but the Abington plant suddenly had a hit. [...]

In this region, sludge from sewage plants is often sent to landfills, and when it’s fresh, it frequently sets off radiation detectors. [...]

Water Specialists

“People are watching,” said Alan Roberson, director of federal relations for the American Water Works Association, an industry group. “They’re waiting to see if Philadelphia can figure out what’s happening.” [...]

Cancer Specialists

Cancer experts said that while the theory is plausible, they’re skeptical.

Nationwide, the number of thyroid cancer cases is rising, partly due to better detection methods. But because most are early stage cancers, “the tendency is to treat less with radioactive iodine,” said James. A. Fagin, chief of endocrinology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering in New York, and president-elect of the American Thyroid Association. [...]

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Source: ENE News