2 Serpong Residents Exposed to Radioactive Substances: Bapeten

TEMPO.CO, South Tangerang - The Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (Bapeten) Secretary, Hendrianto Hadi Tjahyono, said his side has just obtained the test result of nine residents following the finding of radioactive contamination in vacant land in Batan Indah housing complex, Serpong, South Tangerang.

According to Hendri, the examination was conducted through Whole Body Counting (WBC) to check the level of radioactive exposure. “The results of WBC on nine Batan Indah residents are such a relief,” said Hendri on Friday, February 21.

Hendri reported that seven residents are tested negative for the radioactive contamination, while the other two are exposed to radioactive substances. “But the contamination level is very low,” he asserted.

Based on the examination, the two are exposed to two radioactive substances, called Cesium 137 and 40K. However, Hendri stressed that every human body contains 40K.

“This means there is no radiology and health effect on the bodies of the two people contaminated with Cesium 137. We have calculated that the highest dose absorbed in the body is 0.12 millisievert, while the maximum permissible dose is 1 millisievert,” Hendri elaborated.

Therefore, since the exposure level is below the limit, there would be no effect on the body's health, he concluded.

As previously reported, Bapeten discovered radioactive contamination in vacant land near the volleyball field of Batan Indah residential complex when it ran a routine check of its mobile radiation detection device (mobile RDMS-MONA) on 30-31 January 2020.

MUHAMMAD KURNIANTO