Temporal and spatial variations of 134Cs and 137Cs levels in the Sea of Japan and Pacific coastal region: Implications for dispersion of FDNPP-derived radiocesium.
J Environ Radioact
; 182: 142-150, 2018 Feb.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-29227876
ABSTRACT
To investigate the dispersion of Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP)-derived radiocesium in the Sea of Japan and western Pacific coastal region and determine the sources of radiocesium in these areas, we examined the temporal and spatial variations of 134Cs and 137Cs concentrations (activities) during 2011-2016 in seawaters around the western Japanese Archipelago, particularly in the Sea of Japan. In May 2013, the surface concentration of 134Cs was â¼0.5 mBq/L (decay-corrected to March 11, 2011), and that of 137Cs exceeded the pre-accident level in this study area, where the effects of radiocesium depositions just after the FDNPP accident disappeared in surface waters in October 2011. Subsequently, radiocesium concentrations gradually increased during 2013-2016 (â¼0.5-1 mBq/L for 134Cs), exhibiting approximately homogeneous distributions in each year. The temporal and spatial variations of 134Cs and 137Cs concentrations indicated that FDNPP-derived radiocesium around the western Japanese Archipelago, including the Sea of Japan, has been supported by the Kuroshio Current and its branch, Tsushima Warm Current, during 2013-2016. However, in the Sea of Japan, the penetration of 134Cs was limited to depths of less than â¼200 m during three years following the re-delivery of FDNPP-derived radiocesium.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Water Pollutants, Radioactive
/
Cesium Radioisotopes
/
Radiation Monitoring
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
En
Journal:
J Environ Radioact
Journal subject:
SAUDE AMBIENTAL
Year:
2018
Document type:
Article