Yesterday I was grousing to a fellow employee about the nearly useless reporting going on regarding "radiation" (meaning radioactive material) reaching the US from Japan. ABC especially seemed to be fearmongering, although the other two major networks were quick to point out the radioiodine levels in milk were insignificant and would decay quickly. Still, they were not giving any useful information as to the relative levels versus common sources. They also were assuming elevated levels of radionuclides in Oregon and Washington were from Japan ... neglecting the presence of that festering radiological pimple called Hanford Arsenal out in that area.
Anyway, I brought up the radiation dose called the BED ... the Banana Equivalent Dose, used for tiny doses of radiation. Bananas are among many potassium-rich foods, and potassium contains some radioactive K40, the element that produced much of the heat in Earth's core.
This morning I found a clever chart on my desk. It does have a disclaimer at the bottom that it is, after all, from the internet, and has not been checked for errors, but it does appear to me to be more or less right, at least to a guy more used to rads and rem than Sieverts, and whose radiological reference material dates to the 1970's.
Looking up this chart uncovered the link below. Notice that this is a "treehugger" site!
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/03 ... -japan.php
Radiation Dose Comparison Chart
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kunkmiester
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