From: Mike Lorrey (mlorrey@datamann.com)
Date: Mon Mar 11 2002 - 07:01:19 MST
"Michael M. Butler" wrote:
>
> Spike, apparently you consider "incorporation into...DNA" the only path for
> damage production. Ionizing radiation does damage, regardless of whether or
> not its source is "incorporated". The crap released from burning coal has to
> wind up somewhere.
Yes, though note that dilute amounts are already diffused through our
systems. It also depends on the isotopes. Most uranium is not
radioactive and quite stable. Only a small percent of Uranium is of
radioactive isotopes. Coal-born uranium is generally pretty stable,
since it's had tens of millions of years of stable storage to decay its
radioactive isotopes out. I'd be more worried about U's heavy metal
toxicity as a chemical rather than as a source of radiation.
Also, there are documented positive health effects from increased levels
of low level background radiation (and it grows much bigger veggies,
too).
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