Oct 19, 2012 - BEST/MATRR member Stewart Horn acquired soy bean samples surrounding the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant. One sample group north of the Browns Ferry Nuclear plant adjacent to the cooling towers on Shaw Road demonstrated an elevated count approximately twice that of background radiation.
UPDATE: Oct 25, 2012 - One sample out of the 6 soy beans taken demonstrated an elevated level in the whole plant structure. The plant and beans were dry. The elevated reading was near twice the background level, in my opinion not a sufficient elevated reading to cause concern but does warrant further investigation.
It was significant the elevated reading was from the field closest to the cooling towers. It was at this location where the second highest reading (4 times background) was acquired during a rain storm "rain-out event."
Dry beans were ground and tested from the whole plant group which demonstrated a higher reading - the dried, ground beans did not have an elevated level greater than background level. Beans not ground, but dry, did not exhibit an elevated level.
Apparently it is the "whole plant and root structure" which appears to retain some radiation. I will be performing further testing today on the soy beans 5 days post gathering of the samples.
Ground locations tested surrounding Browns Ferry during sunny and dry conditions exhibited radiation levels slightly elevated but no more than twice background level.
It is not possible to draw conclusions from our tests at this point as we need more data in varied weather conditions at different locations.
GARRY MORGAN
Project Director, Community Radiation Monitoring Program
BREDL/BEST/MATRR
Educational/Informational, non-profit Windows Media Video (WMV) production by Garry Morgan for BEST/MATRR. WMV system license for background music usage.
UPDATE: Oct 25, 2012 - One sample out of the 6 soy beans taken demonstrated an elevated level in the whole plant structure. The plant and beans were dry. The elevated reading was near twice the background level, in my opinion not a sufficient elevated reading to cause concern but does warrant further investigation.
It was significant the elevated reading was from the field closest to the cooling towers. It was at this location where the second highest reading (4 times background) was acquired during a rain storm "rain-out event."
Dry beans were ground and tested from the whole plant group which demonstrated a higher reading - the dried, ground beans did not have an elevated level greater than background level. Beans not ground, but dry, did not exhibit an elevated level.
Apparently it is the "whole plant and root structure" which appears to retain some radiation. I will be performing further testing today on the soy beans 5 days post gathering of the samples.
Ground locations tested surrounding Browns Ferry during sunny and dry conditions exhibited radiation levels slightly elevated but no more than twice background level.
It is not possible to draw conclusions from our tests at this point as we need more data in varied weather conditions at different locations.
GARRY MORGAN
Project Director, Community Radiation Monitoring Program
BREDL/BEST/MATRR
Educational/Informational, non-profit Windows Media Video (WMV) production by Garry Morgan for BEST/MATRR. WMV system license for background music usage.
