Iodine and radiation protection

摘要

Following the recent tsunami in Japan, and the damage it caused to the Fukushima nuclear plant, there has been much discussion about using iodine as a protection against radiation exposure.Iodine was discovered accidentally by the French chemist, Bernard Courtois, in 1811 during the manufacture of saltpetre for use in gunpowder by Napoleon's army. He accidentally added too much sulphuric acid to seaweed ash during the purification process, and a violet coloured cloud erupted from the mass, which condensed on metal objects as solid iodine (named from iodes, the Greek word for violet).