Analysis of Radionuclide Releases from the Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident Part I

Petit, G. Le; Douysset, Guilhem; Ducros, G.; Gross, P.; Achim, Pascal; Monfort, Marguerite; Raymond, P.; Pontillon, Yves; Jutier, C.; Blanchard, X.; Taffary, T.; Moulin, Christophe

doi:10.1007/s00024-012-0581-6

Cited by 41 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…In the early stages of radiation exposure following the FDNPP accident, short-lived radionuclides such as 132 Te and 133 Xe were observed (9,10) and were noted as a major source of external exposure. The outdoor external dose rate within 80 km of the FDNPP decreased by 11% from June to November 2011 (i.e., less than 1 y after the accident) owing to the physical decay of 134 Cs (half-life of 2.07 y) and weathering (11); however, radiation exposure from deposited 137 Cs (half-life of 30.2 y) (i.e., groundshine) will persist long term.…”

Section: Significancementioning

confidence: 99%

Radiation dose rates now and in the future for residents neighboring restricted areas of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

Harada¹,

Niisoe

Imanaka

et al. 2014

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

101

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Radiation dose rates were evaluated in three areas neighboring a restricted area within a 20-to 50-km radius of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in August-September 2012 and projected to 2022 and 2062. Study participants wore personal dosimeters measuring external dose equivalents, almost entirely from deposited radionuclides (groundshine). External dose rate equivalents owing to the accident averaged 1.03, 2.75, and 1.66 mSv/y in the village of Kawauchi, the Tamano area of Soma, and the Haramachi area of Minamisoma, respectively. Internal dose rates estimated from dietary intake of radiocesium averaged 0.0058, 0.019, and 0.0088 mSv/y in Kawauchi, Tamano, and Haramachi, respectively. Dose rates from inhalation of resuspended radiocesium were lower than 0.001 mSv/y. In 2012, the average annual doses from radiocesium were close to the average background radiation exposure (2 mSv/y) in Japan. Accounting only for the physical decay of radiocesium, mean annual dose rates in 2022 were estimated as 0.31, 0.87, and 0.53 mSv/y in Kawauchi, Tamano, and Haramachi, respectively. The simple and conservative estimates are comparable with variations in the background dose, and unlikely to exceed the ordinary permissible dose rate (1 mSv/y) for the majority of the Fukushima population. Health risk assessment indicates that post-2012 doses will increase lifetime solid cancer, leukemia, and breast cancer incidences by 1.06%, 0.03% and 0.28% respectively, in Tamano. This assessment was derived from short-term observation with uncertainties and did not evaluate the firstyear dose and radioiodine exposure. Nevertheless, this estimate provides perspective on the long-term radiation exposure levels in the three regions.Fukushima nuclear disaster | exposure assessment | Strontium-90 | forest contamination | food duplicate

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Section: Significancementioning

confidence: 99%

Radiation dose rates now and in the future for residents neighboring restricted areas of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

Harada¹,

Niisoe

Imanaka

et al. 2014

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

101

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“…Researching less abundant radionuclides may provide useful and complementary information on the events that occurred at FDNPP Le Petit et al, 2014). However, owing to the potential gamma radiation exposure, there has been an increasing focus in the literature on the transfer, fate, dynamics and consequences of radiocesium in the fallout impacted region.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Radiocesium transfer from hillslopes to the Pacific Ocean after the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accident: A review

Evrard

Laceby

Lepage

et al. 2015

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity

159

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The devastating tsunami triggered by the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011 inundated the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) resulting in a loss of cooling and a series of explosions releasing the largest quantity of radioactive material into the atmosphere since the Chernobyl nuclear accident. Although 80% of the radionuclides from this accidental release were transported over the Pacific Ocean, 20% were deposited over Japanese coastal catchments that are subject to frequent typhoons. Among the radioisotopes released during the FDNPP accident, radiocesium ((134)Cs and (137)Cs) is considered the most serious current and future health risk for the local population. The goal of this review is to synthesize research relevant to the transfer of FDNPP derived radiocesium from hillslopes to the Pacific Ocean. After radiocesium fallout deposition on vegetation and soils, the contamination may remain stored in forest canopies, in vegetative litter on the ground, or in the soil. Once radiocesium contacts soil, it is quickly and almost irreversibly bound to fine soil particles. The kinetic energy of raindrops instigates the displacement of soil particles, and their bound radiocesium, which may be mobilized and transported with overland flow. Soil erosion is one of the main processes transferring particle-bound radiocesium from hillslopes through rivers and streams, and ultimately to the Pacific Ocean. Accordingly this review will summarize results regarding the fundamental processes and dynamics that govern radiocesium transfer from hillslopes to the Pacific Ocean published in the literature within the first four years after the FDNPP accident. The majority of radiocesium is reported to be transported in the particulate fraction, attached to fine particles. The contribution of the dissolved fraction to radiocesium migration is only relevant in base flows and is hypothesized to decline over time. Owing to the hydro-meteorological context of the Fukushima region, the most significant transfer of particulate-bound radiocesium occurs during major rainfall and runoff events (e.g. typhoons and spring snowmelt). There may be radiocesium storage within catchments in forests, floodplains and even within hillslopes that may be remobilized and contaminate downstream areas, even areas that did not receive fallout or may have been decontaminated. Overall this review demonstrates that characterizing the different mechanisms and factors driving radiocesium transfer is important. In particular, the review determined that quantifying the remaining catchment radiocesium inventory allows for a relative comparison of radiocesium transfer research from hillslope to catchment scales. Further, owing to the variety of mechanisms and factors, a transdisciplinary approach is required involving geomorphologists, hydrologists, soil and forestry scientists, and mathematical modellers to comprehensively quantify radiocesium transfers and dynamics. Characterizing radiocesium transfers from hillslopes to the Pacific Ocean is necess...

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“…It was named γ 3 and is used in various applications e.g. : measurements of fission product traces in environmental samples in the frame of the Comprehensive nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization (see CTBTO, 1996;Le Petit et al, 2014;Cagniant et al, 2013); detection of naturally occurring radioactive materials in environmental sample; measurements of radionuclides at trace level for physics experiments. The γ 3 spectrometer can deal with several sample geometries: gas cells, atmospheric filters and small/large volume containers for solid or liquid matrices.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An introduction to γ3 a new versatile ultralow background gamma spectrometer. Background description and analysis

Cagniant

Douysset

Fontaine

et al. 2015

Applied Radiation and Isotopes

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Analysis of Radionuclide Releases from the Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident Part I

Cited by 41 publications

References 25 publications

Radiation dose rates now and in the future for residents neighboring restricted areas of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

Radiation dose rates now and in the future for residents neighboring restricted areas of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

Radiocesium transfer from hillslopes to the Pacific Ocean after the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accident: A review

An introduction to γ3 a new versatile ultralow background gamma spectrometer. Background description and analysis

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