Strontium is a silvery soft metal that turns yellowish when exposed to air. Strontium-go (Sr-90) is a fission byproduct of uranium and plutonium and does not exist in nature. It is considered one of the most hazardous forms of nuclear waste. Sr-90 is present in spent fuel pool water.

LONGEVITY Sr-90 has a lifespan of approximately 600 years and a half-life of 29.1 years.

HEALTH EFFECTS Sr-90 is a calcium analog which is absorbed by the body like calcium. It is especially dangerous for children because it replaces calcium in bones and teeth. The radionuclide is a powerful beta emitter, radiating the issue in which it is embedded. It decays to yttrium (Y90), which gives off a second beta particle, increasing the possibility of damage to DNA and cellular structures.

Internal exposure of Sr-90 is linked to leukemia, bone cancer, and cancer of the soft tissue near the bone. Due to its ability to concentrate in the mammary glands, the isotope can be transmitted through breastfeeding and has been linked to breast cancer. (One analysis compiled from CDC statistics showed that breast cancer death rates for women in the EPZ counties of Westchester Rockland and Putnam exceed the national average by double percentage points.) The isotope may also weaken the body's immune defenses as a result of its ability to attack the white blood cells that originate in bone marrow.

PATHWAYS Sr-90 may be inhaled as a contaminant in dust: but the primary pathway of intake would be ingestion via food, water or milk (Including breast milk).

Sr-90 and other radibnuclides are regularly released into the environment during the normal operation of nuclear reactors.

During the cold war, the testing of baby teeth revealed dangerous concentrations of Sr-90, leading to the discontinuation of above ground bomb testing. More recent testing of baby teeth from children in the indian Point EPZ counties of Westchester, Rockland and Putnam revealed average Sr-90 levels to be 36% greater than in other New York counties, and steadily rose to a concentration increase of 79% from the late 1980s to tie late 1990s. The baby teeth of the Westchester children contained the highest concentrations of the isotope. The tests also revealed that, in the ten years preceding the study, trends in Sr-90 levels were similar to trends of cancer among children under age 10 in Westchester.

Information from the Council on Intelligent Energy & Conservation Policy