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One interesting use of iodine supplementation is during nuclear accidents, where it is given to flood the thyroid and prevent unstable iodine isotopes from bein

by chasil 3y ago

One interesting use of iodine supplementation is during nuclear accidents, where it is given to flood the thyroid and prevent unstable iodine isotopes from being taken up. "Iodine-131 (usually as iodide) is a component of nuclear fallout, and is particularly dangerous owing to the thyroid gland's propensity to concentrate ingested iodine and retain it for periods longer than this isotope's radiological half-life of eight days. For this reason, people at risk of exposure to environmental radioactive iodine (iodine-131) in fallout may be instructed to take non-radioactive potassium iodide tablets... Ingestion of [a] large dose of non-radioactive iodine minimises the uptake of radioactive iodine by the thyroid gland." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iodine#Other_formulations https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iodine#Other_formulations

ufo 3y ago
I-131 also has some interesting history as the very first application of radioactive isotopes in a medical setting. It's used to treat hyperthyroidism and thyroid cancer.
b112 3y ago
One interesting use of iodine supplementation is during nuclear accidents, where it is given to flood the thyroid and prevent unstable iodine isotopes from being taken up. This is different than iodine added to salt, or iodine in liquid form for wounds. I believe it is potassium iodine.
- aerostable_slug 3y ago
  That's correct. Our local public heath department, like many others in communities located near nuclear power plants, has a program for utility-funded distribution of KI to households in designated areas. It is only taken when the nice person on the radio tells you to do so (you know to tune in from the blaring emergency sirens, tested semiannually). Rather interestingly, the emergency instructions for evacuation state that parents should not go to schools to get their kids, because they'll already be gone: in an emergency, municipal transit buses head to the schools, then take loads of kids to designated areas well upwind of the plant. All of this info and more is available in a rather well-produced section of the local phone books. Since phone books tend to end up unopened in recycling bins these days, I suspect most newer residents have little idea of what I'm talking about.

by chasil 3y ago

ufo 3y ago

I-131 also has some interesting history as the very first application of radioactive isotopes in a medical setting. It's used to treat hyperthyroidism and thyroid cancer.

b112 3y ago

One interesting use of iodine supplementation is during nuclear accidents, where it is given to flood the thyroid and prevent unstable iodine isotopes from being taken up. This is different than iodine added to salt, or iodine in liquid form for wounds. I believe it is potassium iodine.

aerostable_slug 3y ago
That's correct. Our local public heath department, like many others in communities located near nuclear power plants, has a program for utility-funded distribution of KI to households in designated areas. It is only taken when the nice person on the radio tells you to do so (you know to tune in from the blaring emergency sirens, tested semiannually). Rather interestingly, the emergency instructions for evacuation state that parents should not go to schools to get their kids, because they'll already be gone: in an emergency, municipal transit buses head to the schools, then take loads of kids to designated areas well upwind of the plant. All of this info and more is available in a rather well-produced section of the local phone books. Since phone books tend to end up unopened in recycling bins these days, I suspect most newer residents have little idea of what I'm talking about.