Danger of Pacific Ocean Essay

Why is the Pacific Ocean unsafe? In 2011, Japan suffered a major travesty due to the 9. 0 magnitude earthquake, and tsunami that followed soon after. However, during that earthquake and tsunami, a nuclear power plant known as Fukushima Daichii was hit, and exposed to the community. Being exposed to a nuclear power plant is extremely harmful because of the symptoms that may occur from it, due to radiation. According to the 2013 edition of the Encyclopedia, radiation is a, “flow of atomic and subatomic particles and of waves, such as those that characterize heat rays, light ays, and X rays”. Burton, Luntz, Mozumder, Silverman, Tobias, & Mundon). The Pacific Ocean should not be a safe place in some years to come; due to the radiation around the area. The radiation in the ocean causes danger to both human and sea life, makes it more difficult for humans to swim in the ocean, fish, any water activity, and etc. For a little more in depth background about this situation. On March 11, 2011 Japan was struck with a massive earthquake coming in with a magnitude of 9. 0, and soon after tsunamis’ raging into the cities of Japan.

There were three operating eactors at Fukushima Daichii that were shut down, however water came flooding in too quickly and the workers tried to do everything they can to restore the power plants. In the next couple days, the three operating reactors melted. That process, “released hydrogen gas, which eventually triggered explosions in the reactor buildings. Volatile radioactive chemicals, notable iodine-131 and caesium-137 began to stream into the air and Geoff, and Ichiko Fuyono 138).

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Since then, many of the Japanese residents over 100,000 who were to move from the residency to safer location do not trust the scientists who are funded by the government. The government has used over 11 billion yen in trying to repair the damage that was done. Reported by Shizuko Otake of the non profit organization says, “Most people IVe met here refuse to fill out the questionnaires. They don’t see credibility in what the government does, and they say, this is Just a survey for guinea pigs’,”(Otake qtd in Brumfield, Geoff, and Ichiko Fuyono 139).

The damage done to the Pacific Ocean, and the atmosphere has been tremendously critical. As of August 31 , 2013, it was reported that there were 305 tons f radioactive water that were leaked into the Pacific Ocean. In April 2013, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced a proposition to, “filter out as much radioactive material as possible, dilute what is left, and dump it in the Pacific” (Gilhody, and Hooper par. 2). Many opposed to that because dumping the remainder radioactive chemicals into the Pacific Ocean would only harm more sea life creatures, and coral. Anything they can do to remove the more dangerous compounds and dilute the others is almost the only solution,” says Ken Buesseler of he Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts. Although, people are exposed to radiation every day, after this situation the radiation exposure rose to a higher number making it more dangerous to both humans and sea life. The sea life in the Pacific Ocean is extremely important. For instance, in Hawaii there are major supermarkets, and fish stores that sell seafood.

Places that are Harming the sea life creatures that habitat in the ocean will definitely make it unsafe for humans who consume these sea life creatures, and for the sea life creatures in eneral who are exposed to too much radiation. In California, there are bluefish tunas that have had radiation due to the incident in Japan. Scientists in California believe, “fish probably picked up by feeding on contaminated plankton and small fish near Japan”(Fessenden par. 2).

If the fish from Japan reached California, it is almost 100% that many fishes from Japan have reached Hawaii, possibly harming the residents without many of them knowing. There are numerous sushi restaurants in Hawaii, and Japan. The people at those restaurants pick up their fish from the Pacific Ocean; soon they wouldn’t be allowed to do so because of the high-energy radiation levels in the fishes, takos, and etc. Not only is the radiation spill in Japan the main reason why the Pacific Ocean is unsafe, but also because of the recent spills that occurred in that ocean.

Recently in September, Matson Company in Hawaii realized that they had a leak in one of their systems. The Matson Company leaked 233,000 gallons of molasses into the ocean, although it’s basically sugar particles during the clean up process, many sea life things were found dead. Officials can remove the dead fish, but there’s no way to extract the molasses because it’s dissolved in the seawater”, said by Keith Korsmeyer, a marine biologist from Hawaii Pacific University. Another incident that harmed the Pacific Ocean is the Chernobyl accident in 1986.

Yes, humans are exposed to radiation everyday, so it cant be too harmful right? That is correct. However, exposure to too much radiation is harmful which is exactly what happened when the Fukushima Daichii incident occurred. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, “specifies that for a radiation worker, the aximum yearly dose of radiation without health effects is equivalent to absorbing a mere 0. 02 Joules of energy per kilogram of body weight”(Danger par. 4). Anything more than those 0. 2 Joules of energy, is absolutely harmful to one’s body. With an abundant supply of that number in a person’s body, they are endangered to radiation syndrome. The symptoms of that syndrome include, vomiting, diarrhea, and rashes. In some cases, may lead to death within days or weeks. Another major impact of too much exposure is the higher risk of getting cancer. Yes, everyone is at risk for ancer due to anything, but the radiation increases the chance because it speeds up the process in the body.

That’s how the people in Fukushima feel like. Imagine living near a power plant, and a tsunami hit it releasing radioactive chemicals throughout the air and such. Would that person feel sketchy about returning back to its hometown? That’s exactly how the residents near Fukushima feel like, they simply do not want to return back home because they feel that is an unsafe environment, especially one with a family and kids. Some scientists say that the radiation would not spread across the Pacific Ocean nd reach Hawaii.

Henritea Dualovia, assistant professor at UH in geology and geophysics, “radiation will be so diluted by the time it reaches the West Coast and circles back around to Hawaii, that it poses no health riskA(Cocke par. 7). Honestly though, what does an assistant professor about geology know about radiation levels and contamination in the Pacific Ocean. I disagree with this because in 201 5, the dangerous because, “fishes are being exposed to radiation, and more mercury'(Zunin par. 9). The fishes get more mercury because of the burning petroleum from the adiators and it leaks into the ocean starting a chain in the ocean.

It’s also not only fishes that are becoming dangerous, but the tako, sharks, dolphins, etc that are free roaming in the Pacific Ocean. Another rebuttal pertaining to this issue is that, the radiation levels in the fishes that humans partake of aren’t going to be harmful to their well-being. According to Nicholas Fisher, professor at School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University in New York says, “Radioactivity in the fish that arrive in North American is detectible, but Just barely'(Leschin-Hoar par. ).

Fisher’s study was only done on one type of fish, and that was the fish that came off the coast of California, the bluefish tuna. There are many more fishes out in the ocean coming in, and in 2012 it was reported that Hawaii imported 45 million pounds of fish from Japan. But, the fishes that Hawaii imported needed to be analyzed by the FDA, and NOAA Fisheries Company to insure its safety to anyone who uses these fish. However, each and every day there are more and more contaminations going into the ocean from the Fukushima Daichii incident.

Only time will tell what will really happen to these fishes, but according to Gary Stamper, “The only way to protect your children and grandchildren is by note eating seafood from the Pacific Ocean until we have better information”(Leschin-Hoar par. 2). Based off of these conclusions, the Pacific Ocean shouldn’t be a safe place for humans and sea life until further information is announced. Right now, the ocean is highly contaminated with radioactive chemicals, and radiated sea life creatures. Until the people know more information, everyone should assume that the ocean is an nsafe environment, as well as the Fukushima Daichii area.

Families, who had to leave the area, shouldn’t return until tests are done annually and the results are positive, rather than taking chances and returning back because the government wants the Japanese residence to return back home. Through studies of the levels of radiation from Pacific Ocean, Fukushima Daichii, Hawaii, and the spills that occurred in Hawaii it is clear to say that the Pacific Ocean is still unsafe. When further studies are done, then the community may decide whether it is a safe environment for them or not.

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