Concentrations reported for both, plutonium-238 and plutonium-239/240 are similar to those deposited in Japan as a result of the testing of nuclear weapons. The ratio of the concentrations of plutonium-238 and plutonium-239/240 in two of the samples indicate that very small amounts of plutonium might have been released during the Fukushima accident, but this requires to be further clarified.

Here's a really interesting link from a Ukrainian woman named "Elena". She likes to ride her sports bike (motorcycle) through the Chernobyl nuclear fallout zone. I kid you not. She carries a radiation meter with her, and she's pretty good at using it! You can read all about her travels, and along the way you'll learn a lot about what a safe level of radiation really is. She still uses the old units for radiation - roentgens. So I guess that makes her an "old fashioned kinda girl". Ha! Ha! :-)

You may also find, as I did, that there's a lot about Chernobyl that you didn't really know. She does a good, good job about talking about it's impact on human life.

BTW, I was surprised to learn that the Soviets only succeeded in containing the burned-out reactor at Chernobyl by tunneling under it and making a new containment structure. Apparently a lot of miners died in those efforts. But the problem is that the new containment structure was only given a life of 30 years. Chernobyl was 25 years ago. So what do they plan to do in 5 years time? I don't think they will be able to conscript any more volunteers for that kind of work.

OK, rev up your engine and here we go with Elena ...

http://www.angelfire.com/extreme4/kiddofspeed/chapter1.html

cheers,
Pete #2

This item also posted on the thread about radiation measurements.