PARIS — An apparent accident at a Russian facility is suspected of causing a recent spike in radioactivity in the air over much of Europe, according to a report by France’s nuclear safety agency. The Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety says the release of the isotope Ruthenium-106 posed no health or environmental risks to European countries. The French report says the radioactivity peaked in late September and early October and affected a “majority of European countries” but is no longer detected in the atmosphere over Europe. Ruthenium-106 is used for radiation therapy to treat eye tumors, and sometimes as a source of energy to power satellites. France, which has an extensive nuclear energy industry, has reported a series of low-level nuclear incidents recently but none involving Ruthenium or threats to public health.

Source: National Post November 10, 2017 12:35 UTC