Cesium Water Test

Cesium in Drinking Water: What You Need to Know About This Radioactive Contaminant

Cesium is a naturally occurring metallic element found in low concentrations in soil, rocks, and water throughout the environment. In its stable form, cesium 133, it is not radioactive and occurs naturally at trace levels in food and drinking water. The concern for human health comes from radioactive isotopes of cesium, primarily cesium 137 and cesium 134, which are produced during nuclear fission and released through nuclear testing, nuclear accidents, and the improper handling or disposal of radioactive materials. Like most radioactive contaminants, cesium in drinking water has no color, taste, or odor. Testing is the only way to know if it is present.

How Does Cesium Affect the Human Body?

Cesium behaves similarly to potassium inside the human body. Because the two elements share chemical properties, the body cannot easily distinguish between them and cesium is distributed rapidly through the bloodstream into soft tissues, particularly muscle tissue. It enters cells the same way potassium does, affecting the electrical charges that allow muscle cells and nerve cells to function. Once inside the body cesium is gradually eliminated through urine and feces, with a biological half-life in adults of roughly 70 to 150 days.

The health effects depend significantly on whether the exposure is to stable or radioactive cesium and at what level. At high levels radioactive cesium causes cell and DNA damage from ionizing radiation, which can lead to acute radiation syndrome characterized by nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bleeding, and in extreme cases death. At lower levels chronic exposure to radioactive cesium increases cancer risk over time. Animal studies have shown increased risk of mammary tumors following high dose cesium 137 exposure, and because it emits both beta particles and gamma rays, it delivers radiation dose to surrounding tissues throughout the body while it is present.

Stable cesium at very high concentrations has been associated with cardiac effects including irregular heartbeat and cardiovascular complications. The FDA has specifically warned against the use of cesium as a supplement due to documented cases of severe life-threatening low blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, and death.

Is Cesium a Carcinogen?

The answer depends on which form of cesium is involved. According to the CDC and ATSDR there are no studies that directly link stable non-radioactive cesium to cancer in humans. However radioactive cesium is a different matter. Because it emits ionizing radiation, carcinogenic effects similar to those observed in atomic bomb survivors would be expected in individuals exposed to high levels. Animal studies have confirmed increased tumor risk following high dose radioactive cesium exposure. Radioactive cesium has been detected at hazardous waste sites on the EPA National Priorities List and its cancer risk from chronic low level exposure in drinking water is taken seriously by public health agencies.

What Foods Are High in Cesium?

Cesium enters the food supply primarily through contaminated soil and water. Plants absorb cesium from soil and it then moves up the food chain into animals and animal products. According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry the average person ingests around 10 micrograms of stable cesium per day through food and water combined. Foods that can carry higher cesium concentrations include grains, root vegetables, and mushrooms grown in contaminated soil, as well as meat and dairy products from animals that grazed on affected land. After nuclear events radioactive cesium has been detected in milk and breast milk in affected regions. The concentration in any given food is highly dependent on local soil and water conditions.

Where Does Cesium in Drinking Water Come From?

Cesium enters groundwater primarily through geological sources where naturally occurring cesium minerals are present in bedrock, through runoff from areas with a history of nuclear testing or nuclear facility operations, and through industrial contamination at hazardous waste sites. Radioactive cesium 137 has a physical half-life of approximately 30 years, meaning it persists in the environment for a very long time following contamination events. Areas near former nuclear testing sites, nuclear power facilities, and certain industrial operations face the highest risk.

How It Works

Order your test and we will mail you a sample collection kit with easy to follow instructions. Collect a water sample from your tap and send it back to our in-house laboratory. Results are delivered within 1 to 3 business days from the date your sample arrives at our lab.

Understanding Your Results

Every test includes a free consultation with one of our in-house water quality experts. If cesium is detected at concerning levels we will walk you through what that means for your household and what treatment options are most appropriate for your situation. Ion exchange systems, reverse osmosis, and activated carbon filtration are among the most effective methods for reducing cesium in drinking water.

This test is recommended for homeowners in areas near former nuclear testing sites or nuclear facilities, households in regions with elevated naturally occurring radioactivity in local geology, anyone whose water has previously tested positive for other radioactive contaminants such as radon or uranium, and environmental consultants, researchers, and industrial clients requiring documented cesium analysis of their water supply.