Incidence of spinal instability among patients with discogenic low back pain with different backgrounds.

[Purpose] To investigate the incidence of spinal instability among patients with discogenic low back pain and its various effects with respect to the patients' age, gender, sports activity, and occupation. [Participants and Methods] We assessed 65 patients diagnosed with discogenic low back pain at our clinic between May 2016 and May 2020. After measuring segmental angulation using plain radiographs, we divided these patients into two groups: (1) instability group with >10° of segmental angulation or >3 mm of sagittal translation and (2) stability group with <10° of segmental angulation and <3 mm of sagittal translation. Patient data such as age, gender, sports activity, and occupation were collected using their medical records. [Results] The incidence of spinal instability was 57% (37 patients) among the patients with discogenic low back pain. No significant differences in age, gender, sports activity, and occupation were identified between the groups. [Conclusion] The incidence of spinal instability accounted for more than half of the total number of patients. Additionally, age, gender, sports activity, and occupation did not affect the incidence of spinal instability. Our results support the importance of rehabilitation, such as stability training for spinal instability, for patients with discogenic low back pain.

Concentrations of iodine-129 in livestock, agricultural, and fishery products around spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in Rokkasho, Japan, during and after its test operation.

Concentrations of iodine-129 (129I) and atomic ratios of 129I/127I in livestock (grass and milk), agricultural (cabbage, Japanese radish, and rice), and fishery (flatfish and brown alga) products collected from locations around the first Japanese commercial spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in Rokkasho were measured from 2006 to 2016. The actual spent nuclear fuel rods were cut and processed to test the functioning of the plant that discharged controlled amounts of 129I to the atmosphere and coastal seawater during the period from 2006 to 2008 (the "cutting period"). Statistically significant increases in 129I concentration and 129I/127I ratio were observed during the cutting period in livestock products and flatfish. On the other hand, these parameters were statistically comparable during and after the cutting period in the other products. The radiation dose through the ingestion of the maximum 129I concentrations, measured in the different products, was estimated to be in the nanoSievert per year level. This value is much smaller than 1 mSv yr-1, which is the permissible authentic radiation dose for the general public. The 129I levels in the samples, especially in milk and flatfish, are discussed in context of the 129I discharge history from the plant.

Tissue-free water tritium and non-exchangeable organically bound tritium concentrations in fish near coastline during and after operation of Japan's first nuclear fuel reprocessing facility.

The risks from radioactive wastewater release from nuclear facilities into the ocean are a global concern. Radioactive contaminants, such as tritium (3H), in both forms of tissue free water tritium (TFWT) and non-exchangeable organically bound tritium (NE-OBT), can be incorporated into marine biota and cause radiation doses to biota and future consumers. However, no studies have been conducted to measure both forms of 3H in marine fish as well as evaluate the residence time in the vicinity of a nuclear fuel reprocessing facility. Here, fish from a brackish lake and from the Pacific Ocean coastline of Japan, which are near such a facility, were collected between 2006 and 2021. The reprocessing facility was operational between 2006 and 2009, during which time about 300 times more tritiated water was discharged per year into the ocean compared to the period when the facility was not operational. During operation the annual release was 30 times higher than the treated water released annually from Fukushima Daiichi. As expected, TFWT and NE-OBT concentrations increased in marine fish during operations and had peak values of 3.59 ± 0.03 and 0.56 ± 0.03 Bq/L, respectively. Total dose rates to the fish were 36,000 times lower than the 10 µGy h-1 benchmark. Concentrations gradually decreased to pre-operational levels as the facility was turned off with NE-OBT taking twice as long. Fish sampled from the brackish lake tended to have more incorporated TFWT and NE-OBT concentrations than ocean fish. This indicates that ocean tides might have contributed to the accumulation of discharged tritiated water in the lake via a narrow water channel, which highlights the importance of examining all marine ecosystems in future operations. In both marine environments, the estimated committed effective dose using the highest observed data through ingestion was well below public limits (91,000 times lower).

Temporal variation of tritium concentration in monthly precipitation collected at a Difficult-to-Return Zone in Namie Town, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan.

This article discusses tritium concentrations in monthly precipitation in part of the Difficult-to-Return Zone in Namie Town during 2012-2021. The tritium concentrations, which were measured with a low background liquid scintillation counter after carrying out an enrichment procedure, fluctuated seasonally from 0.10 ± 0.02 to 0.85 ± 0.02 Bq L-1. This range of concentrations is concluded to not be unusual based on comparisons with the concentrations at other sites and estimates of the past range of the concentrations. Moreover, no significant variations in observed tritium concentrations were observed due to decommissioning work at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant. These results contribute to understanding the background level of tritium concentration in precipitation before the oceanic discharge of treated water from the Fukushima plant. In addition, this article evaluates the amount of tritium supplied to the ocean by terrestrial rainwater pouring into the Pacific Ocean via Ukedo River, which flows through Namie Town; this information will contribute to the discussion on the impact of the oceanic discharge of treated water.

Factors associated with spinal instability in low back lumbar diseases with leg pain: Analysis of sagittal translation and segmental angulation.

BACKGROUND: Determining the association between radiographic spinal instability assessment and lower back lumbar diseases with lower limb symptoms can contribute to evidence-based assessment and treatment in clinical practice and rehabilitation. Therefore, radiological evidence of lumbar spine instability assessment, such as sagittal translation (ST) and segmental angulation (SA), is clinically important. OBJECTIVE: To identify factors associated with the assessment of spinal instability in lumbar disc herniation with leg pain and discogenic low back pain using ST and SA. METHODS: We examined 112 patients with lumbar disc herniation with leg pain and 116 with discogenic low back pain at our clinic from 2016 to 2021. Data on age, gender, sports activities, and occupation were collected from medical records. Additionally, ST and SA of L4 and L5 during maximum trunk flexion and extension were measured using radiography. Simple and multiple logistic regression analyses were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Simple logistic regression analysis showed that ST and SA (odds ratio [OR]: 1.11; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-1.19) were associated with lumbar disc herniation. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that only ST was associated with lumbar disc herniation (OR: 2.29; 95% CI: 1.78-3.00). CONCLUSION: Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that ST was associated with lumbar disc herniation with leg pain and had a stronger association than SA.

TRITIUM AND IODINE-129 IN WATER SAMPLES COLLECTED ADJACENT TO A SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL REPROCESSING PLANT IN ROKKASHO, JAPAN.

Between April 2006 and October 2008, tritium ( 3H) and iodine-129 ( 129I) were released into the atmosphere and ocean from a spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in Rokkasho, Japan. From 2005 to 2020, water samples were collected from water bodies around the plant, including a river, groundwater wells, a brackish lake, a fishing port and a coastal sea, to measure spatiotemporal changes in 3H and 129I concentrations. Water samples from the brackish lake and the fishing port between 2006 and 2008 occasionally had higher than background levels of 3H and 129I. Batched discharge of waste 3H and 129I was quickly diluted by advection-diffusion processes in the coastal sea, causing 3H and 129I from the plant to be indetectable. By contrast, concentrations of 3H and 129I that flowed into the brackish lake and the fishing port through various routes were high, as these water bodies are mostly closed systems.

TEMPORAL VARIATION OF POST-ACCIDENT 129I IN ATMOSPHERIC PARTICULATE MATTER COLLECTED FROM AN EVACUATED AREA OF FUKUSHIMA PREFECTURE, JAPAN.

To understand the behavior of atmospheric 129I that originated from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident, activity concentrations of 129I in samples of atmospheric particulate matter (PM), comprising coarse (>1.1 µm) and fine (<1.1 µm) fractions (separated using a single stage impactor), were measured on a nearly monthly basis from October 2012 to October 2014 at a site in an area evacuated after the FDNPP accident. Total atmospheric 129I activity concentrations in PM at the site ranged between 0.15 and 2.17 nBq m-3. Specific activity concentration of 129I in total atmospheric PM ranged between 40.8 and 336 mBq kg-1, with a mean and standard deviation of 142 and 77.6 mBq kg-1, respectively. The specific activity in PM tended to be higher than not only the background values reported from soil collected before the FDNPP accident but also than those reported from the contaminated soil after the accident (range: 1.6-57 mBq kg-1; mean and standard deviation: 10.6 and 12.3 mBq kg-1, respectively). Total 129I/127I atomic ratios in PM ranged from 2.0 × 10-8 to 59.8 × 10-8, with a mean and standard deviation of 15.0 × 10-8 and 14.4 × 10-8, respectively. These ratios were generally lower than those of the contaminated soil collected after the FDNPP accident (range: 4.9 × 10-8-443 × 10-8; mean and standard deviation: 74.2 × 10-8 and 85.4 × 10-8, respectively). The 129I concentration and 129I/127I atomic ratio in atmospheric PM showed different characteristics from that of contaminated soils, suggesting that the presence of other atmospheric PMs plays a more important role as the host for 129I.

Ten-year radiocesium fluvial discharge patterns from watersheds contaminated by the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident.

After the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident in March 2011, the fluvial discharge of 137Cs from watersheds to rivers was analyzed between 2011 and 2021. The concentrations of dissolved and particulate 137Cs were measured in river water samples collected from two rivers (the Hiso and Wariki rivers, mainly draining farmlands and forests, respectively) draining approximately 4-7 km2 watersheds in a montane area (the areal deposition of 134+137Cs; 1-3 MBq·m-2 in March 2011) of Iitate Village, Fukushima. Over the 10 yr analysis, the particulate 137Cs concentrations in the Hiso and Wariki rivers decreased by 70 and 50 times, respectively, and that of the dissolved form decreased by 150 and 130 times, respectively. Moreover, the apparent Kd (distribution coefficient) of 137Cs for water samples from both rivers have increased gradually over these periods. In 2011, the 137Cs discharge rates through the Hiso and Wariki rivers were 0.63% and 0.46% per year of the total amount of 137Cs deposited in their catchments, respectively; however, by 2021, these rates had decreased to 0.09% and 0.03% per year. The cumulative 137Cs discharge rates over 10 yr in the farmland- and forest-dominated rivers were 1.95% and 1.33%, respectively. These rates of the farmland-dominated river were ∼1.4-fold greater than those of the forest-dominated river. Moreover, ∼90% of the of the discharge occurred in particulate form while the remaining ∼10% was in the dissolved form. Thus, 137Cs deposited within these watersheds due to the accident was gradually discharged by the rivers over the 10-yr period; however, the majority remains stored in soils and litters etc. of the catchment area. These results indicate that 137Cs outflow from land-to-ocean will be limited in the future, as the river export of 137Cs is expected to continue decreasing.

Temporal variation of post-accident atmospheric 137Cs in an evacuated area of Fukushima Prefecture: Size-dependent behaviors of 137Cs-bearing particles.

The concentrations of 137Cs in the air, which were divided into coarse (>1.1 µm ϕ) and fine (<1.1 µm ϕ) fractions of particulate matter (PM), were measured from October 2012 to December 2014 in an area evacuated after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident. Total atmospheric 137Cs concentrations showed a clear seasonal variation, with high concentrations during summer and autumn related to the dominant easterly wind blowing from the highly radioactivity contaminated area. This seasonal peak was dominated by 137Cs in the coarse PM fraction. The 137Cs specific activity (massic 137Cs concentration) in the coarse PM was also found to increase significantly in summer, whereas that in the fine PM showed no variability during the year. These results show that coarse and fine 137Cs-bearing PM have different origins and behaviors in the resuspension process. The seasonal variation in atmospheric 137Cs concentration was well correlated with the mean 137Cs surface contamination (deposition density) around the observation site weighted by the frequency of wind direction, indicating that the atmospheric 137Cs concentration in the observation site was explained by the distribution of the 137Cs surface contamination and the frequency of different wind directions. We introduced a resuspension factor corrected for wind direction, consisting of the ratio of the atmospheric 137Cs concentration to the weighted mean 137Cs surface contamination, which evaluated the intensity of resuspension better than the conventional resuspension factor. This ratio ranged from 5.7 × 10-11 to 8.6 × 10-10 m-1 and gradually decreased during the study period.

Vertical distribution of radiation dose rates in the water of a brackish lake in Aomori Prefecture, Japan.

Seasonal radiation dose rates were measured with glass dosemeters housed in watertight cases at various depths in the water of Lake Obuchi, a brackish lake in Aomori Prefecture, Japan, during fiscal years 2011-2013 to assess the background external radiation dose to aquatic biota in the lake. The mean radiation dose in the surface water of the lake was found to be 27 nGy h(-1), which is almost the same as the absorption dose rate due to cosmic ray reported in the literature. Radiation dose rates decreased exponentially with water depth down to a depth of 1 m above the bottom sediment. In the water near the sediment, the dose rate increased with depth owing to the emission of γ-rays from natural radionuclides in the sediment.

Tritium activity concentrations and residence times of groundwater collected in Rokkasho, Japan.

Tritium ((3)H) concentrations were measured in groundwater samples from four surface wells (4-10 m deep), four shallow wells (24-26.5 m deep) and a 150-m-deep well in the Futamata River catchment area, which is adjacent to the large-scale commercial spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in Rokkasho, Japan. The (3)H concentrations in most of the surface- and shallow-well samples (<0.03-0.57 Bq l(-1)) were similar to those in precipitation (annual mean: 0.31-0.79 Bq l(-1)), suggesting that the residence time of the water in those wells was 0-15 y. The (3)H concentrations in the samples from a 26-m-deep well and the 150-m-deep well were lower than those in the other wells, indicating that groundwater with a long residence time exists in deep aquifers and the estuary area of the catchment. It is not clear whether (3)H released during test operation of the plant with actual spent nuclear fuel affected the (3)H concentrations observed in this study.

Concentration of 129I in aquatic biota collected from a lake adjacent to the spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in Rokkasho, Japan.

The spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in Rokkasho, Japan, has been undergoing final testing since March 2006. During April 2006-October 2008, that spent fuel was cut and chemically processed, the plant discharged (129)I into the atmosphere and coastal waters. To study (129)I behaviour in brackish Lake Obuchi, which is adjacent to the plant, (129)I concentrations in aquatic biota were measured by accelerator mass spectrometry. Owing to (129)I discharge from the plant, the (129)I concentration in the biota started to rise from the background concentration in 2006 and was high during 2007-08. The (129)I concentration has been rapidly decreasing after the fuel cutting and chemically processing were finished. The (129)I concentration factors in the biota were higher than those reported by IAEA for marine organisms and similar to those reported for freshwater biota. The estimated annual committed effective dose due to ingestion of foods with the maximum (129)I concentration in the biota samples was 2.8 nSv y(-1).

Nuclear accident-derived (3)H in river water of Fukushima Prefecture during 2011-2014.

During 2011-2014, we measured (3)H concentrations in river water samples collected during base flow conditions and during several flood events from two small rivers in a mountainous area in Fukushima Prefecture, which received deposition of (137)Cs from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. (3)H concentrations above background levels were found in water samples collected during both base flow conditions and flood events in 2011. The (3)H concentrations during flood events were generally higher than those during base flow conditions. The (3)H concentrations in both rivers during base flow conditions and flood events decreased with time after the accident and reached almost background levels in 2013. We also measured (3)H concentrations in freshwater samples from 16 other rivers and one dam in eastern Fukushima Prefecture from 2012 to 2014 during base flow conditions. The measured (3)H concentrations were higher than the background level in 2012 and decreased with time. The (137)Cs inventory in the catchment area at each sampling point was estimated from air-borne monitoring results in the literature and compared with the (3)H concentrations. We found surprisingly good correlations between (137)Cs inventories in the catchment areas and (3)H concentrations in the water samples. Further studies will be necessary to clarify the reason for the good correlation.

Effects of radiocesium inventory on (137)Cs concentrations in river waters of Fukushima, Japan, under base-flow conditions.

To investigate the behavior of nuclear accident-derived (137)Cs in river water under base-flow conditions, concentrations of dissolved and particulate (137)Cs were measured at 16 sampling points in seven rivers of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, in 2012 and 2013. The concentration of dissolved (137)Cs was significantly correlated with the mean (137)Cs inventory in the catchment area above each sampling point in both sampling years. These results suggest that the concentration of dissolved (137)Cs under base-flow conditions is primarily determined by the (137)Cs inventory of the catchment area above the sampling point. However, the concentration of particulate (137)Cs did not show a clear relationship with either the mean (137)Cs inventory or the dissolved (137)Cs concentration, thus indicating that particulate and dissolved forms do not effectively interact in rivers. To evaluate the contribution of the (137)Cs inventory within catchment areas, we analyzed relations between the (137)Cs concentration and the mean (137)Cs inventory over the area within certain flow path lengths that were traced along the river and slope above the sampling point. Coefficients of determination for dissolved (137)Cs concentrations were highest for the longest flow path, i.e., the whole catchment area, and lower for shorter flow paths. Coefficients of determination for particulate (137)Cs concentrations were only moderately high for the shortest flow path in 2012, whereas the values were quite low for all flow paths in 2013. These results suggest that dissolved (137)Cs can originate from a larger area of the catchment even under base-flow conditions; however, particulate (137)Cs did not show such behavior. The results also show that under base-flow conditions, dissolved and particulate (137)Cs behave independently during their transport from river catchments to the ocean.

Lack of estrogenic or (anti-)androgenic effects of d-phenothrin in the uterotrophic and Hershberger assays.

Synthetic pyrethroids are among the most common insecticides and pesticides currently in use worldwide. Recently, d-phenothrin, a synthetic pyrethroid, is suspected to have endocrine activities through the estrogen and androgen receptors. However, no study has been conducted to evaluate its potential for hormonal activity using an in vivo test specifically focused on estrogenic and androgenic activities. In this study, we evaluated the interaction of d-phenothrin (0, 100, 300 or 1000 mg/kg per day, p.o.) with estrogen- or androgen-mediated mechanisms using in vivo short-term assays. While internationally standardized protocols for the uterotrophic and Hershberger assays have not yet been fully developed, both are widely used and are being considered by the OECD as short-term screening assays for hormonal activity. The highest dose level tested for d-phenothrin was a limit dose (1000 mg/kg per day) designated in the current draft protocol by the OECD, and in fact there was no excessive systemic toxicity in both assays; slightly increased liver weight but no change of serum androgen levels in accessing anti-androgenicity. Potential estrogenic effect of d-phenothrin was evaluated by means of 3-day uterotrophic assay using immature Crj:CD(SD)IGS rats (20 days of age). No increase in uterine weight (wet or blotted) was observed following oral exposure to d-phenothrin. Reference control ethynyl estradiol (0.001 mg/kg per day) showed a significant effect in this assay protocol. A 10-day Hershberger assay using castrated peripubertal male rats measures the androgenic or anti-androgenic effects of the test chemicals on several accessory glands/tissues (the ventral prostate, dorso-lateral prostate, seminal vesicles with coagulating glands, levator ani plus bulbocavernosus muscles, glans penis and Cowper's glands). d-Phenothrin was administered by oral gavage for 10 days to castrated male Crj:CD(SD)IGS rats (7 weeks of age, rats were castrated at 6 weeks of age) with or without co-administration of 0.2 mg/kg per day testosterone propionate (subcutaneous injection on the dorsal surface). Reference controls of methyltestosterone and p,p'-DDE (100 mg/kg per day) provided significant effects in this assay protocol, whereas d-phenothrin did not show any androgenic or anti-androgenic effects. It is concluded that, based on the results of these two reliable in vivo assays, d-phenothrin exhibits no potential to cause adverse estrogenic or (anti-)androgenic effects even at dose of 1000 mg/kg per day, the limit dose designated in the current draft protocol by the OECD.

Determination of trace levels of iron in a seawater sample using isotope dilution/inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

An analytical method for trace levels of iron in a seawater sample using isotope dilution ICP-MS was developed. Preconcentration of iron and the removal of major elements in seawater such as alkali and alkaline-earth elements can be carried out quickly using a chelating resin disk by adjusting the sample pH to 3. The collision cell option of the ICP-MS instrument method was used to improve the performance of the instrument for iron measurements since ArO and ArN interferences could be reduced using this analytical method. About 4 ml min(-1) helium, as the collision gas, were introduced into the cell. 40Ar14N and 40Ar16O which interfere with 54Fe and 56Fe in water had their amounts decreased by 5 orders of magnitude. Then, the isotope dilution method was used for iron determination below ng g(-1) level of trace iron in four environmental reference materials (river water standard sample JAC-0031 (Japan Soc. for Analytical Chemistry), estuarine standard sample SLEW-2 (NRC Canada) and seawater standard samples CASS-3 and NASS-5 (NRC Canada)) were measured. Good agreement between analytical results and certified values of reference materials was obtained, which confirmed the effectiveness of this method.

Environmental gamma-ray dose rate in Aomori Prefecture, Japan.

Japan's first commercial nuclear fuel cycling facilities, including a spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plant, are now under construction in Rokkasho, Aomori Prefecture (prefecture--an area of administration similar to a county in the U.S.). The reprocessing plant is due to be completed by 2004. We surveyed indoor and outdoor environmental gamma-ray dose rates throughout Aomori Prefecture from 1992 to 1996 to get background data before operation of the plant. Glass dosimeters were used to measure cumulative gamma-ray dose rate. The outdoor gamma-ray dose rates were measured at 109 locations in the prefecture. The indoor gamma-ray dose rates were measured at 81 locations, which were generally in a dwelling near the location of an outdoor measurement. The contribution of radionuclides in the ground to the outdoor dose rate was estimated by using in-situ gamma-ray spectrometry with a germanium detector. The spectra were measured at 20 locations used for the glass dosimeter measurements. The outdoor gamma-ray dose rate was higher in the Tsugaru area (western part of the prefecture) than in the Nanbu area (eastern part). Means of the dose rate were 28, 31, and 25 nGy h(-1) for the whole prefecture and Tsugaru and Nanbu areas, respectively. The dose rates in winter were lower than those in the other seasons due to the shielding effect of snow on the ground. Mean contributions of uranium series, thorium series and 40K to the dose rates were 7.7, 8.2, and 9.3 nGy h(-1), respectively. The indoor dose rate was generally higher than the outdoor one, and the mean ratio of indoor to outdoor dose rates was 1.42. Means of indoor gamma-ray dose rate were 41, 37, and 43 nGy h(-1) for the whole prefecture and Tsugaru and Nanbu areas, respectively. The average effective dose rate to people in the prefecture was estimated to be 0.24 mSv y(-1).

Fluvial discharges of radiocaesium from watersheds contaminated by the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, Japan.

A large amount of radiocaesium, (134)Cs and (137)Cs, was released to the atmosphere and Pacific Ocean from the Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) that was damaged by the tsunami caused by the Tohoku earthquake on 11 March 2011. Radiocaesium deposited on the ground is now the most important consideration in assessing the risk to people in the vicinity of the FDNPP and remediating the contaminated area. Transfer of radiocaesium from the ground through rivers is an important factor in the downstream contamination of irrigation waters, paddy fields, lakes, and the sea. We estimated the transport of radiocaesium through two small rivers, the Hiso River and Wariki River, that traverse mountainous areas in Fukushima Prefecture. Areal depositions of radiocaesium in their watersheds (catchments) were high (1-3 MBq m(-2)). Water samples were collected from the rivers twice during each of two baseflow and two flood stages in 2011 and analysed for radiocaesium in particulate and dissolved forms. The radiocaesium concentrations depended strongly on the rates of water discharge. Maximum activities of radiocaesium in the samples from the Hiso River and Wariki River when there was precipitation or flooding (July and September) were 25 ± 0.31 and 35 ± 0.25 Bq L(-1), respectively. Particulate radiocaesium during periods of flooding contributed over 90% of the total radiocaesium activity in the samples. The discharge of radiocaesium from the catchments during 2011 was estimated to be 0.5% and 0.3% of the total amount of radiocaesium deposited on the catchments of the Hiso River and Wariki River, respectively. It is considered that the most of the radiocaesium deposited in the catchment remains on the soil surface.

Concentration of (3)H in plants around Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station.

A large amount of radionuclides was released from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) following the damage caused by the tsunami due to the Great East Japan Earthquake on 11 March 2011. Although many radionuclides in various environmental samples around the FDNPS have been measured, (3)H in the terrestrial environment has not yet been reported. We present here the first survey results of (3)H concentrations in plant samples collected around the FDNPS in 2011 from shortly after the accident. The free-water (3)H concentrations in herbaceous plant shoots and evergreen tree leaves were considerably higher than the previous background concentration, and diminished with distance from the FDNPS. Although reconstruction of atmospheric (3)H concentrations after the accident is difficult, a rough estimate of the radiation dose due to (3)H inhalation about 20 km from the FDNPS is on the order of a few microsieverts (µSv).