Nowhere in the linked article is Relative Biological Effectiveness taken into consideration. No where on any news media either let alone the mention of MOX fuel used at the Fukushima plant.
RBE is incorporated into the calculation of the Sievert as the Q value so the Sv is entirely independent of the type of radiation. Alpha, Beta, and Gamma radiation all have different effects on tissue but one Sv of gamma, one Sv of Beta, or one Sv of Alpha radiation all have equivalent biological effects on humans because they use different Q values in calculation. That is why the Sievert is used. One number with all the adjustment factors to translate it into effects on humans already rolled in.
Yes I know that RBE weighting is incorporated into the Seivert calculation. I also know that the RBE weighting used which is greater than 1 is very very rarely used in that Sv calculation (measurement is Gy) as heavy nucleus alpha radiation is quite rare in normal everyday circumstances . I am complaining about some of the assumptions that are being put forward in the linked chart.
Take for example in the chart the Radiation dose chart which mentions the Fukushima entry of 3.7mSv/day (at 2 sites 50km to the NW), yet the chart which refers to system of measurements that people can refer to are mostly yearly dosages. i.e. 3.8mSv/day = 1.387 Sv/year or 1,380 times greater than the EPA limit for radiation exposure for man made external sources for a member of the public every year or around 5 times that for the Chernobyl relocation criteria of 350mSv/lifetime. The Q values for the Fukushima entry and the basis for the measurement Sv calculation are not described (waving the Geiger counter in the air will mostly pick up Gamma sources with a Q value of 1 rather than heavy nucleus alpha source Q value of 20-1000). The chart mainly describes external gamma and X-ray (photon) sources exposure except for bodily internal potassium (beta emitter, again the Q weighting factor of 1) rather than internal alpha sources (Q = 20-1000). This is why the Plutonium is such a danger in the MOX fuel used at Fukushima.
Again the news media are given values such as 400mSv/hr measurements at the Fukushima site but the RBE Q or Weighting factor for these measurements has not been specified (most likely set as a Q=1 to minimise the Sv calculation figure given out to the public) then go on to make a direct comparison with a CAT scan, airline flight or a Banana Equivalent Dose (BED). The linked chart is doing exactly the same (esp when mixing up single event, hourly, daily and yearly dosages) and again is very misleading in its attempt to basically dupe the public as to the issue surrounding the Fukushima release. The news media doesn't even know the appropriate questions to ask.
There appears to be lies, damned lies, statistics then radiation comparisons from nuclear industry experts.
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