Radioactively-hot particles detected in dusts and soils from Northern Japan by combination of gamma spectrometry, autoradiography, and SEM/EDS analysis and implications in radiation risk assessment

Kaltofen, Marco; Gundersen, Arnie

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.07.091

Cited by 26 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Considering that the Olympic and Paralympic sites have undergone significant remediation for radioactive contamination, one of the hypotheses for this study is that samples from the non-Olympic sites might be expected to contain a much greater range of beta activities than the Olympic site sample set. Radioactive isotopes migrate in microparticles of soil and dust (Kaltofen and Gundersen, 2018). Therefore, a larger sample set was collected to account for the suspected significant variability in activities outside of the remediated Olympic venues.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Alpha-emitting uranium and its daughters are only sporadically detected above natural and atomic detonation-related background activities in northern Japan. All told, Fukushima-related alpha-emitting isotopes, while found in contaminated areas adjacent to the Fukushima Dai-ichi Power Station, were rarely detected elsewhere in Fukushima Prefecture (Hirose, 2011;Shozugawa et al, 2012;Orita et al, 2014;Mikami et al, 2015;Kaltofen and Gundersen, 2018;Martin et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The primary radioactive isotopes released by these meltdowns and explosions were the uranium and plutonium in the nuclear fuel and accumulated nuclear fission waste products, such as cesium-134, cesium-137, and iodine-131 (Kato et al, 2011;Hirose, 2011;Kaltofen and Gundersen, 2018). The releases of radioactive contaminants from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station resulted in widespread dispersal of cesium-134 and cesium-137 in northern prefectures in Japan (Orita et al, 2014;Mikami et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cesium-137 and the remaining cesium-134 are prevalent in contaminated surface soils as well as in indoor dusts in Northern Japan (Hirose, 2011;Kaltofen and Gundersen, 2018). Approximately 80% of deposited radiocesium was absorbed by the uppermost 2 cm of surface soils (Kato et al, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The isolated nature of the detection of these alpha-emitting nuclides is evidence of this differential. Transuranics such as plutonium and americium were identified at lower activities in a few locations in northern Japan, compared with the ubiquitous detection of radiocesium (Kaltofen, 2011;Kato et al, 2011;Schneider et al, 2013;Kaltofen and Gundersen, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Radioactive Isotopes Measured at Olympic and Paralympic Venues in Fukushima Prefecture and Tokyo, Japan

Kaltofen

Gundersen²,

Gundersen³

2021

Environmental Engineering Science

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This study detected modest radioactive contamination at Olympic venues in Japan, and found significant alpha-, beta-, and gamma-emitter contamination at Japan's National Training Center. A total of 146 independent soil and dust samples were collected from sites in Fukushima Prefecture, Greater Tokyo, and the heavily traveled corridors between these northern Japan locations to assess radiological contamination related to the Fukushima meltdowns. Thirty-six samples were collected from 2020 Olympic/Paralympic venues, including Yoyogi National Stadium, Shiokaze Park, Olympic Village, Imperial Palace Gardens (all in Tokyo), Azuma Stadium in Fukushima, and the J-Village Olympic and Paralympic National Training Center. Samples were analyzed for beta activity and alpha activity per unit area (Bq/cm 2), supplemented by gamma and alpha spectroscopy, with scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. Mean beta activity was two orders of magnitude greater than mean alpha activity, 459-36 net Becquerel per square meter (Bq/m 2) versus 5.20-2.00 Bq/m 2 , respectively. Alpha and beta activities were not correlated, with a Pearson product moment correlation coefficient (RSQ) of 0.063. Greater Tokyo Olympic venues showed activities similar to those in the USA control set. In contrast to the Tokyo venues, the mean beta activity for J-Village Training Center samples was 2.4 times higher than for the Greater Tokyo samples. Azuma Park, the Fukushima Baseball venue, was 1.6 times higher than Greater Tokyo venues. The overall Northern Japan sample set displayed an average of 7.0 times greater beta activity than the Tokyo Olympic venues, evidencing the relative success of remediation at Olympic/ Paralympic venues compared with other parts of Japan.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Radioactive Isotopes Measured at Olympic and Paralympic Venues in Fukushima Prefecture and Tokyo, Japan

Kaltofen

Gundersen²,

Gundersen³

2021

Environmental Engineering Science

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The second decade of the blue butterfly in Fukushima: Untangling the ecological field effects after the Fukushima nuclear accident

Otaki

Sakauchi

Taira

2022

Integr Envir Assess & Manag

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Many field observations of the biological effects of the Fukushima nuclear accident have been reported in the first decade after the accident. A series of observational and experimental studies have demonstrated causal adverse effects on the pale grass blue butterfly even at the low‐level radiation exposure in the “field,” contrary to the dosimetric view that insects are generally tolerant of radiation exposure. However, it has been demonstrated that the pale grass blue butterfly is tolerant of high oral doses of anthropogenic radioactive cesium (137Cs) under “laboratory” conditions. This field–laboratory paradox can be explained by ecological field effects; for example, radiation stress in the field causes physiological and biochemical changes in the host plant, which then trophically affects butterfly larvae. The second decade of butterfly‐based Fukushima research will be devoted to demonstrating how such adverse field effects occur. Changes in the host plant's nutritional contents likely affect butterfly physiology. The host plant may also upregulate secondary metabolites that affect herbivorous insects. The plant may be affected by changes in endophytic soil microbes in radioactively contaminated areas. If demonstrated, these results will reveal that the delicate ecological balances among the butterfly, its host plant, and soil microbes have been affected by radioactive pollution in Fukushima, which has important implications for environmental policies and human health. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022;18:1539–1550. © SETAC

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Homogenization of food samples for gamma spectrometry using protease

Nishikawa

Bari

Khan

et al. 2018

J Radioanal Nucl Chem

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Radioactively-hot particles detected in dusts and soils from Northern Japan by combination of gamma spectrometry, autoradiography, and SEM/EDS analysis and implications in radiation risk assessment

Cited by 26 publications

References 11 publications

Radioactive Isotopes Measured at Olympic and Paralympic Venues in Fukushima Prefecture and Tokyo, Japan

Radioactive Isotopes Measured at Olympic and Paralympic Venues in Fukushima Prefecture and Tokyo, Japan

The second decade of the blue butterfly in Fukushima: Untangling the ecological field effects after the Fukushima nuclear accident

Homogenization of food samples for gamma spectrometry using protease

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