Russian Activists Discover High Radioactivity In World War II-Era Bunkers

[TomSea]

Excerpt:

Russian Activists Discover High Radioactivity In World War II-Era Bunkers

...

The St. Petersburg branch of the Bellona environmental NGO has measured radiation in some of the bunkers at more than 1,000 times background levels. The levels of radiation from alpha particles exceeded the limits of their detection equipment -- 30,000 particles per square centimeter per minute.

"There was no electricity in the bunkers, so they installed panels with fluorescent paint that would shine for many years," said Aleksei Shchukhin, a Bellona specialist on radiation. Now those panels have become a problem.

Continued: http://www.rferl.org/a/russia-stalin-bunkers-radioactive-world-war-two/28303774.html

Fluorescent paint causing radiation.

[GtHawk]

Excerpt:

Fluorescent paint causing radiation.

I think you mean fluorescent paint emitting radiation.

[TomSea]

I think you mean fluorescent paint emitting radiation.

Thanks @GtHawk

Either way, it's new to me.

[Oceander]

It's not nearly as catastrophic as it might seem.  Alpha radiation is really only dangerous if the source is swallowed or otherwise enters the body:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_particle#Biological_effects

In fact, smoke detectors contain small amounts of an alpha particle emitter (americium).