March 15, 2011

Nuclear Accident And Potassium Iodide


Given the current situation in Japan, some of you may be interested in this topic.
The full FAQ is located at the National Regulatory Committee (NRC) website, here.

Potassium Iodide
  • Blocks thyroid uptake of radioactive iodine, therefore it reduces the risk of thyroid cancers that might be caused by exposure to radioactive iodine that could be dispersed in a severe nuclear accident
  • It is ingested, then taken up by thyroid gland -- if taken in a proper dosage at an appropriate time, it saturates the thyroid gland so that inhaled or ingested radioactive iodine will not be accumulated in the thyroid
  • Two KI tablets will protect the thyroid gland for approx 48 hours
  • Population within 10 mile emergency planning zone to the nuclear power plant are at the greatest risk of exposure to radiation, therefore KI is provided to protect them from effect of exposure after an accident
  • Best protective measures for nuclear accident are evacuation and sheltering. KI tablets are used to supplement evacuation or sheltering
Image from www.ask.com

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