Monitors at Argonne Detect Radiation Linked to Japan

Scientists from Argonne National Laboratoryhave detected small amounts of radiation from Japan at the Darien-area lab, Argonne spokesman Steve McGregor confirmed Wednesday.

But there’s no need to panic, said Argonne Senior Environmental Engineer S.Y. Chen, who is also a member of the EPA’s radiation advisory committee.

Over the course of one year, the amount of radiation a person would absorb at these levels would be much less than the equivalent of a single chest X-ray, Chen said.

“There’s a huge dilution by the air as it’s coming across the Pacific Ocean,” Chen said. “I personally do not believe there is anything to worry about.”

Because some of Argonne’s research deals with radioactive materials, the lab is required to regularly monitor for radioactive particles, Chen said.

“In recent weeks, small spikes have been picked up in the regular monitoring system,” Chen said. 

Scientists knew that the particles were from Japanese reactors damaged in the March 11 earthquake because neither labs at Argonne, nor anywhere else nearby, work with the particular isotope, known as I-131, Chen said.

The isotope likely traveled to the area on the Jet Stream and will continue to find their way to Illinois and elsewhere in the U.S. until the situation at the Japanese reactors is under control.

Once the reactors stop releasing radiation, however, Chen said particles would stop arriving in Illinois within about a month. The particles that are already here will break down within about eight days, he said.

The Environmental Protection Agency bears the primary responsibility for monitoring radiation levels nationwide.

According to EPA reports, increased radiation levels have been detected in several U.S. states, including Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. In each of these cases, however, the EPA said the radiation poses no risk to human health.