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PETER'S NEW YORK, Friday, March 18, 2011--The ingestion of potassium iodide as a way to block radioactive iodine from seating itself in the human thyroid and thus preventing the development of cancer in that organ, is fairly well publicized. Less known is the role of a simple artist's paint pigment in ridding the body of radioactive elements that may indeed be more pernicious than radioactive iodine.
A jar of powdered Prussian blue held by the author. by Peter Duveen
Prussian blue was developed artificially by chemists in the early 18th century, and soon became a widely used paint and dye pigment. It produces a fairly stable deep blue color, and it is relatively nontoxic. The chemical formula is C18Fe7N18, and one of its descriptive chemical names is ferric hexacyanoferrate . Its pharmaceutical name is radiogardase.
"Prussian blue is a substance that can help remove certain radioactive materials from people's bodies," the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) tells us on their website. (http://www.bt.cdc.gov/radiation/prussianblue.asp.)
"Prussian blue was first produced as a blue dye in 1704 and has been used by artists and manufacturers ever since. It got its name from its use as a dye for Prussian military uniforms. Prussian blue dye and paint are still available today from art supply stores.
"People SHOULD NOT take Prussian blue artist's dye in an attempt to treat themselves. This type of Prussian blue is not designed to treat radioactive contamination and is not made for that purpose. People who are concerned about the possibility of being contaminated with radioactive materials should go to their doctors for advice and treatment."
Of course the CDC does not specifically tell us, at least on this webpage, what the difference is between Prussian blue paint pigment and the stuff they use for medical purposes. I cannot vouch for the credibility of their statement. But the information they provide is informative. They continue:
"Prussian blue traps radioactive cesium and thallium (mainly Tl-201) in the intestines and keeps them from being re-absorbed by the body. The radioactive materials then move through the intestines and are excreted (passed) in bowel movements. Prussian blue reduces the biological half-life of cesium from about 110 days to about 30 days. Prussian blue reduces the biological half-life of thallium from about 8 days to about 3 days. Because Prussian blue reduces the time that radioactive cesium and thallium stay in the body, it helps limit the amount of time the body is exposed to radiation."
Well, that is a mouthful, isn't it? Odd that the media has not told us much about this. After all, radioactive cesium is one of the troublesome components in the fallout from a nuclear incident such as we are witnessing in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan a week ago.
In response to this tidbit of information, I immediately headed for the local art supply store, having made purchases there of various powdered mineral pigments which, when mixed with certain oils such as walnut, poppy seed and linseed, create a slow-drying paint.
Prussian blue is a deep blue pigment in its powdered form. by Peter Duveen
Sure enough, about five minutes before closing time, I rushed into the store and finding just one jar remaining, scooped it up and paid barely under ten dollars for it, at the same moment letting out an audible sigh of relief.
Not satisfied with limiting my interest to its well-tooted pharmacological effects, I immediately set out to determine the quality of paint that can be made from it.
Paint produced from this pigment mixed with linseed oil tends to be a bit grainy. The color is a dark blue. When a white pigment is added--in this case, titanium dioxide powder--a very nice light blue paint is the result.
Prussian blue lightened with white titanium oxide pigment. by Peter Duveen
Should Prussian blue paint pigment be used to ward off the effects of fallout from a reactor meltdown as far away as Japan? I cannot, and do not attempt to answer that for you. I recommend thoroughly researching any substance before deciding to ingest it. You might ask your doctor about it, if you can afford one. In the meantime, it could not hurt to have some on hand from a reputable supplier, if only to use as a paint pigment. In lieu of that, the CDC tells us Prussian blue is included among the various materials that make up the Strategic National Stockpile. Ask the SNS for some if you are not in a terrible rush.
