French scientists found traces of the accident at the “Fukushima” in Californian wine
MOSCOW, 21 Feb — RIA Novosti. The accident at the nuclear plant in Japanese Fukushima Prefecture seven years ago has led to increasing levels of radioactive particles in wine from California, according to a study of the leading scientists of the French national institution — the National centre for scientific research (CNRS).
Researchers Michael Polikoff, Christine Marquet and Philippe Hubert examined a series of California red and rose wines produced from grapes harvested in 2009-2012. The researchers used the method of low background gamma-spectrometry, for measuring the amount of radioactive particles, the samples had to “turn to ashes”.
The analysis showed the presence in the samples of cesium-137, or radiocaesium, man-made isotope produced mainly in fission in nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons.
In wine produced after the accident at NPP in 2011, scientists have documented increasing levels of radioactive particles.
However, study leader, Paikoff in conversation with New York Times emphasized that the studied California wine is not a threat to health, the concentration of radioactive particles in it “is very low, far below the natural radiation levels around the world.”
The California Department of health stated that they had previously heard nothing about the study, stressing that “threats to the health and safety of California residents no.”
“This study changes nothing,” the newspaper quoted a representative of the Department of igala Measles. The New York Times reminds that the world health organization earlier said that after the accident at Fukushima the levels of radioactive particles in food and beverages outside of Japan is low and does not pose a threat to public health.
In 2011, after the earthquake, magnitude of which was 9.0, gigantic wave 15 meters high struck the nuclear power plant in Fukushima, causing a major nuclear accident since the Chernobyl tragedy. At the time of the accident and repeated radiation emissions into water and atmosphere, still a number of areas near the station uninhabitable. The elimination of the accident, including the dismantling of reactors, will take about 40 years.