Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 17-4. High-quality HEPA filter by Austin Air.
Photo courtesy of Austin Air
If a breached nuclear reactor containment vessel is contaminating the area in which you are
located, as was the case with both the Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear reactor disasters, your
best bet is to get out of the contaminated zone as soon as possible, since the radioactive fallout
from the breeched reactor will continue to accumulate over time, and radiation poisoning has a
cumulative effect. The longer you are in the contaminated area, the more radiation you will re-
ceive and the more radioactive material you will ingest or absorb into your body. You should
do your best to avoid drinking contaminated water, breathing contaminated air, or ingesting
contaminated food.
Radioactive heavy metals will be concentrated by the food chain, so the most dangerous
kinds of foods with the highest levels of radioactive heavy metals will be dairy products and
meat from animals that were grazing on feed that was contaminated by radioactive fallout from
the nuclear disaster. In the case of Chernobyl, if the authorities had quarantined all of the meat,
dairy products, and produce within the 58,000 square miles of heavily contaminated land, then
