Improving the scientific foundations for estimating health risks from the Fukushima incident

Calabrese, Edward J.

doi:10.1073/pnas.1117296108

Cited by 43 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 16 publications

(14 reference statements)

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“…On May 12, 2011, the Japanese government ordered Fukushima Prefecture to euthanize the cattle in the evacuation zone. Recently, Calabrese indicated the importance of risk assessment for chronic radiocesium exposure based on the situation at Fukushima in Japan and emphasized the limitation for the assessment of risk from radiocesium intake due to the absence of animal model chronic bioassays [6]. Almost all of the cattle abandoned in the evacuation zone can be recognized individually by their ear-tag and their individual histories are easily obtainable.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distribution of Artificial Radionuclides in Abandoned Cattle in the Evacuation Zone of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

et al. 2013

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The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) accident released large amounts of radioactive substances into the environment. In order to provide basic information for biokinetics of radionuclides and for dose assessment of internal exposure brought by the FNPP accident, we determined the activity concentration of radionuclides in the organs of 79 cattle within a 20-km radius around the FNPP. In all the specimens examined, deposition of Cesium-134 (134Cs, half-life: 2.065 y) and 137Cs (30.07 y) was observed. Furthermore, organ-specific deposition of radionuclides with relatively short half-lives was detected, such as silver-110m (110mAg, 249.8 d) in the liver and tellurium-129m (129mTe, 33.6 d) in the kidney. Regression analysis showed a linear correlation between the radiocesium activity concentration in whole peripheral blood (PB) and that in each organ. The resulting slopes were organ dependent with the maximum value of 21.3 being obtained for skeletal muscles (R2 = 0.83, standard error (SE) = 0.76). Thus, the activity concentration of 134 Cs and 137Cs in an organ can be estimated from that in PB. The level of radioactive cesium in the organs of fetus and infants were 1.19-fold (R2 = 0.62, SE = 0.12), and 1.51-fold (R2 = 0.70, SE = 0.09) higher than that of the corresponding maternal organ, respectively. Furthermore, radiocesium activity concentration in organs was found to be dependent on the feeding conditions and the geographic location of the cattle. This study is the first to reveal the detailed systemic distribution of radionuclides in cattle attributed to the FNPP accident.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distribution of Artificial Radionuclides in Abandoned Cattle in the Evacuation Zone of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

et al. 2013

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“…18,27,28 The LNT model assumes that each radionuclide disintegration has the same probability of causing cell transformation and that each transformed cell has the same probability of developing into a cancer. The LNT model has been employed extensively in the radiation safety and prevention communities, [27][28][29][30] yet some studies have questioned its validity at low doses [31][32][33][34][35] resulting in an ongoing debate.…”

Section: 13mentioning

confidence: 99%

Worldwide health effects of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident

Hoeve

Jacobson

2012

Energy Environ. Sci.

293

124

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This study quantifies worldwide health effects of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident on 11 March 2011. Effects are quantified with a 3-D global atmospheric model driven by emission estimates and evaluated against daily worldwide Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) measurements and observed deposition rates. Inhalation exposure, ground-level external exposure, and atmospheric external exposure pathways of radioactive iodine-131, cesium-137, and cesium-134 released from Fukushima are accounted for using a linear no-threshold (LNT) model of human exposure. Exposure due to ingestion of contaminated food and water is estimated by extrapolation. We estimate an additional 130 (15-1100) cancer-related mortalities and 180 (24-1800) cancer-related morbidities incorporating uncertainties associated with the exposure-dose and dose-response models used in the study. We also discuss the LNT model's uncertainty at low doses. Sensitivities to emission rates, gas to particulate I-131 partitioning, and the mandatory evacuation radius around the plant are also explored, and may increase upper bound mortalities and morbidities in the ranges above to 1300 and 2500, respectively. Radiation exposure to workers at the plant is projected to result in 2 to 12 morbidities. An additional $600 mortalities have been reported due to non-radiological causes such as mandatory evacuations. Lastly, a hypothetical accident at the Diablo Canyon Power Plant in California, USA with identical emissions to Fukushima was studied to analyze the influence of location and seasonality on the impact of a nuclear accident. This hypothetical accident may cause $25% more mortalities than Fukushima despite California having one fourth the local population density due to differing meteorological conditions.

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“…The deposition occurred in an individual radionuclide and in an organ-specific manner, and radioactive caesium (Cs) was detected in all the organs examined13. Discharge of 134 Cs and 137 Cs that emit γ- and β-rays is of primary concern, because they were released in a large amount and have a long half-life14. Thus, significant questions regarding the effect of long-term exposure to radioactive Cs on human health are now being raised.…”

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confidence: 99%

Effects of radioactive caesium on bull testes after the Fukushima nuclear plant accident

Yamashiro

Abe

Fukuda

et al. 2013

Sci Rep

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We aimed to investigate the effect of chronic radiation exposure associated with the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant accident on the testis from 2 bulls. Estimated dose of internal exposure in one bull was 0.7–1.2 mGy (134Cs) and 0.4–0.6 mGy (137Cs) and external exposure was 2.0 mGy (134Cs) and 0.8 mGy (137Cs) (196 days). Internal dose in the other was 3.2–6.1 mGy (134Cs) and 1.8–3.4 mGy (137Cs) and external dose was 1.3 mGy (134Cs) and 0.6 mGy (137Cs) (315 days). Sperm morphology and spermatogenesis were within normal ranges. 134, 137Cs radioactivity was detected but Cs was not detectable in the testis by electron probe microanalysis. Thus, adverse radiation-induced effects were not observed in bull testes following chronic exposure to the above levels of radiation for up to 10 months. Since we could analyse a limited number of testes, further investigation on the effects of ionizing radiation on spermatogenesis should be extended to more animals.

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Improving the scientific foundations for estimating health risks from the Fukushima incident

Cited by 43 publications

References 16 publications

Distribution of Artificial Radionuclides in Abandoned Cattle in the Evacuation Zone of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

Distribution of Artificial Radionuclides in Abandoned Cattle in the Evacuation Zone of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

Worldwide health effects of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident

Effects of radioactive caesium on bull testes after the Fukushima nuclear plant accident

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