Lets see. Radioactive iodine has a half life of just 8 days.

The question arrises, will there be any radioactive iodine from a "dirty" nuclear bomb made of radioactive waste?

i think this would be better suited to the science and technology forum ...

- qo.

Tyler,It depends on how close you are and how big the bomb is.
A conventional nuclear weapon relies on nuclear fision this reaction will cause incalcuable damage.
A so called dirty bomb relies on a conventional explosive device with radioactive material surounding it(no fision).There is an excellent example of the effect of a dirty bomb in Brazil.I will try and find it.Only around 30 people died in an area of a quarter of a mile.more died from the blast than by radiation.I'm writing this from memory so I may be wrong on detail.I'll be back.

John is more or less correct, dirty bombs are little more than a panic attack, as for the Iodine, hmm from what I've dug up, I should HOPE there is radio-active Iodine (I-131), it seems to be fairly helpful in aiding the treatment of hyperthyroid (some ailment) and does not promote cancer.

And I think your half-life information is wrong, apparently after treatment (done at home by drinking it) it can collect in your bladder (the radio-active materials) so you have to drink a lot of fluids for several weeks to wash it all out.

Hmm doesn't seem like Iodine is a threat Tyler

Sincerely,
no signature

Ok i take it none of you know the answer.

Freemason, you little house fly, radioiodine has a half life of over 8 days. Don't argue with me

I know perfectly well what a dirty nuclear bomb is. What i was asking is does radioactive waste containe radioactive iodine. I think not.

Byrd, i thought your son was a nuke "specialist", or was that another "fake" or "hoax"?

tyler, why specifically iodine? i would think that wrapping a bomb in radioactive waste is a sure-fire way to make a nasty little device, but why the specific interest in iodine?

- qo.

An iodine bomb would be extremely weak compared to the dirty bombs the US government is expecting. They are looking for dirty bombs using spent fuel rods etc.