Environmental economics. Article review 4 - Essay Example

Environmental economics article review Environmental economics article review. The review of journal of environmental protection, 2014 on measurements of fission products from the Fukushima Daiichi incident in San Francisco Bay area Air Filters, Automobile filters , rain water and food. The article is from scirp.The Fukushima Daiichi incident has been given a close monitoring since its occurrence in the 1980s. This has been done more so by the Berkley National Laboratory whose major interest is analysis of the gamma emitters.

More concern has been given to analyzing lead and beryllium. Research process is done keenly in search of any isotopes that may have leaked or fallen out to the environment. This was done by monitoring their presence in automobile filters. Furthermore, it is checked using rain water which may contain the isotopes. It has been a great worry to most researchers, scientists and writers at large. Therefore thorough checking in all possible components in the environment that can be contaminated is analyzed.

Food is one such an area of major concern to these interested parties (Smith1 et al, 2014). Analysis of the samples suspected to contain heavy metals and isotopes is done using spectroscopy techniques. During analysis of the dangerous rays and substances, safety measures are taken into account to avoid accidents. For instance, shielding against cosmic rays is done.Air sampling is carried out using an air sampler to assist in determination of gamma emitting fission products from the site of occurrence.

This is done with high efficiency while observing safety. Filter exchange is also done after a period of about twenty four hours. First findings indicated that Half-life of Iodine isotopes were 8 days for that with atomic number 131 and for that with atomic number of 132 took 2.3 hours. These findings were essential for establishment of a sample gamma spectrum that could give a good visual representation of findings. However, that alone is not sufficient and other sources of samples have to be considered.

Therefore automobile air filters come into play. Priority is given to analysis of sample deemed to release radio isotopes that have the capability to harm or affect people. The technique aims at measuring airborne contamination degree (Smith1 et al, 2014). Samples up to about one thousand two hundreds are used to ascertain the level of available radio isotopes. They are estimated using an odometer or through monitoring of fuel consumption of the vehicles. Screening helps the researchers to get alerts of any possible contaminants.

This sets the area apart and gives a hint of how and where to proceed with the evaluation and analysis. Rain water measurement is very essential. This is because it gives a report and acts as an indicator for presence of radio isotopes. This is done more so in areas near the Fukushima Daachi accident sites. The samples are collected in beakers and analyzed spectroscopically. However, most of these isotopes were prone to faster decay hence may not give an authentic picture or indication of real scenario.

Other alternative sources of samples are therefore important. Such include soil, sediment samples, food measurement and Chernobyl comparison methods. All these have proved very useful as far as environmental assessment, management and economics are concerned (Smith1 et al, 2014). In conclusion, the article addresses the environmental problem caused by the Fukushima Daachi incident that may have long term economic effects to the world. I chose this article because It captures how to assess the degree of impact caused by the released radio isotopes that affects environmental processes and influence the economic policies.

This is an important issue because it has affects many counties, yet only a few people clearly understand it. I felt that the article is precisely up-to-date and strongly recommend that other people read it, especially my colleagues in this course given that it builds references to both the environment and economic issues. ReferenceA. R. Smith1, K. J. Thomas1,2, E. B. Norman1,2, D. L. Hurley1, B. T. Lo2, Y. D. Chan1, P. V. Guillaumon3, B. G. Harvey1. Journal of Environmental Protection, Published in February 2014 (http://www.scirp.org/journal/jep|)