Daleo8803
Move along, move along
Does anyone keep it around? From what I have read it only protects the thyroid. Is it worth keeping around? Any other pills that could help with protecting from radiation? Place to buy? Thanks
potassium iodide
- Thread starter Daleo8803
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With McGuire Station so close I do keep some around. I bought these: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ALA3334/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Chuckman
Senior Member
It is safe if used as directed. But be aware, because people don't use it, the shelf-life is finite at about 6-7 years. "They" claim that it is stable and does not degrade over time, but I am not sure I would want to test that theory. It's cheap so there's no good reason to not replace it.
It is worth having. Thyroid cancer left unchecked is pretty deadly. The thyroid takes up the potassium and is saturated, and prevents radiation from accumulation in the thyroid. It's not 100% effective, but is effective enough. It has to be taken within 24 hours of exposure.
Other medications are Prussian Blue (oral) which needs a prescription and DTPA, which is IV.
It is worth having. Thyroid cancer left unchecked is pretty deadly. The thyroid takes up the potassium and is saturated, and prevents radiation from accumulation in the thyroid. It's not 100% effective, but is effective enough. It has to be taken within 24 hours of exposure.
Other medications are Prussian Blue (oral) which needs a prescription and DTPA, which is IV.
Not worth keeping around. It is generally only moderately useful if taken 48-72hrs before radioactive exposure....Who's going to have that much advance notice? Also it will of little to no use against a dirty bomb consisting of industrial detection waste & radioactive medical waste, such as; the various Caesiums (137), Cobalt (60) and Iridiums (192) IIRC.I've been away from such things for over two decades.
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Chuckman
Senior Member
I work at McGuire. Up until 2 years ago, I held a reactor operator's license for both Units 1 and 2 there (I gave it up voluntarily to get off shift and into work management).
Prior to that, I was a nuclear electrician on submarines.
KI tablets are used in the event of a large area release of radionuclides into the environment. They are only effective to prevent radioactive potassium uptake by the thyroid - any other radioactive iodine that's been ingested will remain unaffected.
Now - to get a large area release, a whole lot of bad needs to happen. 3 fission product barriers would have to be breached:
Post 9/11, more changes were made to mitigate and combat beyond design basis accidents - ways to prevent core or spent fuel pool damage from occurring event if the plant were faced with situations outside of its postulated worst case scenario accident.
Post Fukushima, plants spent tens of millions more each (McGuire alone was around 85 million) on specific equipment to deal with an extended loss of power event (which is what really drove the accident at Fukushima), with redundant sets of equipment on site plus complete back-ups available regionally.
How close do you live to the plant (I live 6 miles away as the crow flies, if that makes you feel any better)?
In what direction from the plant do you live (predominantly upwind or predominantly downwind makes a difference)?
Taking them is also not without risk, as there are some effects.
All that to say realistically, you probably don't need KI tablets.
I don't stock them. I might one day, but it is not a big concern of mine the way other dangers are.
Prior to that, I was a nuclear electrician on submarines.
KI tablets are used in the event of a large area release of radionuclides into the environment. They are only effective to prevent radioactive potassium uptake by the thyroid - any other radioactive iodine that's been ingested will remain unaffected.
Now - to get a large area release, a whole lot of bad needs to happen. 3 fission product barriers would have to be breached:
- Fuel pellet cladding - fission products remain within each fuel pellet. Only if the fuel is damaged can fission products escape into the primary coolant system
- Primary Coolant pressure boundary- if fuel damage occurs and fission products do escape into the primary coolant system, the pressure boundary- (reactor vessel, coolant piping, coolant pump seals, etc) would also have to suffer a catastrophic failure. We do practice for large break loss of coolant accidents (think a double ended shear of coolant piping, a loop just "falls off") and the plant is designed to survive such an accident without fuel damage
- Containment Building - the Containment Building would also have to fail. It is a pressure-rated containment structure with double isolations for every penetration into it, with automatic isolation in the event of an accident. It also has pressure reducing design features to limit peak pressure and drive pressure down to prevent exceeding it's design basis positive and negative pressure ratings.
Post 9/11, more changes were made to mitigate and combat beyond design basis accidents - ways to prevent core or spent fuel pool damage from occurring event if the plant were faced with situations outside of its postulated worst case scenario accident.
Post Fukushima, plants spent tens of millions more each (McGuire alone was around 85 million) on specific equipment to deal with an extended loss of power event (which is what really drove the accident at Fukushima), with redundant sets of equipment on site plus complete back-ups available regionally.
How close do you live to the plant (I live 6 miles away as the crow flies, if that makes you feel any better)?
In what direction from the plant do you live (predominantly upwind or predominantly downwind makes a difference)?
Taking them is also not without risk, as there are some effects.
All that to say realistically, you probably don't need KI tablets.
I don't stock them. I might one day, but it is not a big concern of mine the way other dangers are.
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Is it available? A few months ago it was unobtainium.
While they are useful to protect the thyroid they do nothing for any other part of the body. If you are concerned over the possibility of a nuclear exchange, they will prevent thyroid uptake and retention of radioactive products. The rest of your body will still be vulnerable. They will also do nothing to protect you from ionizing radiation from blast or fallout.
I would recommend reading some of these... you can find download able copies of some.
I have a digital copy of the nuclear war survival guide by uncle Sam at the house; if I remember where I will try and post it
I would recommend reading some of these... you can find download able copies of some.
I have a digital copy of the nuclear war survival guide by uncle Sam at the house; if I remember where I will try and post it
In amazon the other day when I ordered. We had a beach hse down at Caswell near Brunswick nuke plant. We were supposed to get a bottle every year from pwr company. Never got the first pill.
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