Washington, July 1 (ANI): A urine test performed by a French non-profit organization on a small number of children living in the Fukushima city have revealed that they might have suffered internal radiation contamination caused by reactor fuel from the earthquake-cum-tsunami hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant despite the fact that they live outside the government announced 30-kilometer evacuation zone.
The tests were performed by Acro, on behalf of local activists who want Tokyo to increase its policies of protecting children in Fukushima.
Urine samples taken from all of 10 children, ages 6 to 16, have shown traces of two radioactive isotopes released during the March explosions at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex, Cesium-134 (which has a half life of two years) and Cesium-137 (which has a half life of 30 years), the wall Street Journal reports.
It is unclear whether the levels are high enough to cause health problems in the children.
Earlier, tests conducted on children in Chernobyl had shown those with elevated Cesium isotopes in their body were more at risk of higher blood pressure.
Meanwhile, Chairman of Acro, David Boilley, has said hat the results are not conclusive because the sample size was small. On being asked whether the cesium levels found in these children were significant, he said, "The amount of cesium should be zero."
The Fukushima Network to Protect Children from Radiation, a Fukushima-based NGO that sponsored the tests, is now urging the government to perform more widespread, internal contamination screenings using whole body counters or radiation detectors. (ANI)
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