Changes on distribution of absorbed dose rates in air in an urban area after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - Tokatsu area was on one pathway of the radioactive plumes released in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident and absorbed dose rate in...     

Relationship between particle size and radiocesium in fluvial suspended sediment related to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident

We collected fluvial suspended sediments in Fukushima after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident and analyzed the ¹³⁷Cs concentration in bulk and size-fractioned samples to investigate the particle-size-dependent distribution of radiocesium. The ¹³⁷Cs concentration in bulk suspended sediments decreased from August to December 2011, possibly reflecting a decrease of radiocesium concentration in its source materials. Smaller particles had higher radiocesium concentrations, reflecting larger specific surface areas. Silt- and sand-size fractions occupied more than 95 % of the total ¹³⁷Cs in the suspended sediments. The contribution of clay-size fractions, which had the highest ¹³⁷Cs concentration, was quite small because of their low frequency. A line of the data showed that the particle size distribution of radiocesium was essential to evaluate the migration and distribution of radiocesium in river systems where radiocesium is mainly present as particulate form after the FDNPP accident.     

Spatial modelling of Cs-137 and Sr-90 fallout after the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accident

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - Determination of radionuclides transport characteristics is among the most significant research topics, which require extensive multidisciplinary...     

Separation of Zr in the rubble waste generated at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station

Separation method of Zr using trans uranium resin (TRU resin) and tetra valent actinide resin (TEVA resin) was developed for the analysis of ⁹³Zr contained in the rubble waste. Zr, Nb, and U were quantitatively extracted on the TRU resin from 3 M HNO₃ and striped with 0.01 M HF, in addition, some part of Mo, Hg, Bi, and Th were also included in the stripping solution. The stripping solution was evaporated to eliminate HNO₃ and the residue was dissolved in 0.1 M HF. Finally, Zr was separated from Nb and Mo with the TEVA resin.     

Local distribution of radioactivity in tree leaves contaminated by fallout of the radionuclides emitted from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

We analyzed fresh and dead leaves collected in forests in Fukushima after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident, using autoradiography. Both fresh and dead leaves of Cryptomeria japonica were contaminated by radionuclides (¹³⁴Cs and ¹³⁷Cs). Contamination of the fresh leaves was possibly attributed to interception of radionuclides by tree canopies, whereas the dead leaves indicated the direct deposition of radionuclides by fallout and/or washout of radionuclides intercepted by tree canopies. Translocation of radiocesium from a contaminated branch to new leaves growing after the FDNPP accident was not clearly observed, although transfer of radiocesium from leaf parts to male flowers occurred. Fallen leaves of Quercus serrata, which started growing after the FDNPP accident, did not show radioactivity, indicating that significant amounts of translocation from other parts to new leaves did not occur. Fallen leaves of Q. serrata collected from a litter showed hot spots originating from direct fallout. Needles of Pinus densiflora were also contaminated by fallout. Leaching with pure water removed soluble fractions of radiocesium and hot particles from the surface of the contaminated leaves, but significant amounts of radioactivity remained. This means that foliar absorption occurred in both fresh and dead leaves. Further leaching experiments using surfactant and acetone could not remove the remaining radiocesium from the leaves. The leaching experiments indicate that radiocesium in the contaminated leaves is strongly fixed in leaf tissues and is not readily released unless leaf tissues are decomposed.     

Comparison of radioactive and stable cesium uptake in aquatic macrophytes affected by the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident

Concentrations of ^134+137Cs and ¹³³Cs in aquatic macrophytes, water, and sediment were measured in samples collected from Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. The concentrations of ¹³⁷Cs in submerged and floating-leaved plants were higher than the values for emergent plants according to their main Cs uptake mode. The geometric mean water-to-plant concentration ratio for ¹³⁷Cs and ¹³³Cs was comparable observed in submerged and floating-leaved plants, while the geometric mean sediment-to-plant concentration ratio for ¹³⁷Cs in emergent plants was higher than that of ¹³³Cs, which suggest that the mobility of Fukushima accident-derived ¹³⁷Cs is not in steady state 4–5 years after the accident.

     

Determination of 129I/127I in environmental water before and after the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident with a solid extraction disk

A Cs selective solvent composed of 0.08 M chlorinated cobalt dicarbollide and 0.5 % PEG 400 (polyethylene glycol of average molecular weight of 400) in phenyl trifluoromethyl sulphone (PTMS) was used for the extraction of Cs(I) and Sr(II) from nitric acid solution as well as synthetic pressurized heavy water reactor (PHWR) high level waste (HLW) solution. Comparison was also done with analogous solvent system in nitrobenzene and xylene diluent mixture. The various experiments included acid concentration variation and PEG-400 concentration variation. A sharp decrease in the Cs(I) and Sr(II) extraction was noticed with increasing nitric acid concentration. On the other hand, while PEG-400 concentration variation had very little effect on Cs(I) extraction, it has a very significant influence on Sr(II) extraction. Batch co-current extraction studies were carried out with solvents made from both the diluent systems and the results indicated that PTMS based solvent system was superior to that containing nitrobenzene and can be used for the recovery of the metal ions from actual PHWR-HLW. Radiolytic degradation studies were also carried out and the results suggested reasonably good stability of the solvent system.     

Heterogeneous distribution of radiocesium in aerosols, soil and particulate matters emitted by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident: retention of micro-scale heterogeneity during the migration of radiocesium from the air into ground and river systems

We analyzed ¹³⁷Cs in aerosols, rock, soil and river suspended sediment collected after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident. Based on the results, we discuss the post-event behavior and transportation of radiocesium in the environment from the air into ground and river systems. First, radionuclides were emitted from the FDNPP as airborne ‘hot’ particles, which contained water-soluble fractions of radiocesium. Radiocesium was still present in a water-soluble fraction after deposition on the ground. Subsequent interaction of the ‘hot’ particles with water (e.g. rainfall) dissolved and strongly fixed the radiocesium on rock and soil particles, thus changing the radiocesium into insoluble forms. The distribution of ‘hot spots’ was possibly controlled by the initial position of deposition on the ground. Consequently, ‘hot spots’ were studded on the rock surface rather than being uniformly distributed. The distribution of radiocesium in river suspended particles was not homogeneous during water transportation, reflecting the heterogeneity of radiocesium in rock and soil. Leaching experiments demonstrated that radiocesium in rock, soil and river suspended sediment was fairly insoluble, showing that the adsorption reaction is irreversible. The micro-scale heterogeneous distribution of radiocesium in aerosols, soil and suspended particles was due to the presence of ‘hot’ particles in aerosols. Dissolution of radiocesium in the ‘hot’ particles in the aerosols and subsequent irreversible adsorption onto the soil particle complex are responsible for the preservation of the heterogeneity both in soil and in river suspended particles.     

Isotopic compositions of transuranic nuclides released by the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident: with emphasis on Cm isotopes

Isotopic composition of transuranic nuclides, with emphasis on Cm isotopes, were measured for environmental samples such as dust samples (black substances) from the roadsides and litter samples heavily contaminated by the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident. Low levels of ²³⁸Pu, ^239,240Pu, ²⁴¹Am, ²⁴²Cm and ^243,244Cm were determined by α-spectrometry after radiochemical separation. These results, including radioactive Cs, provided an isotopic data set. When the activity ratios among these transuranic nuclides were compared with those of core inventories (Units 1–3) in the FDNPP estimated by the JAEA group, fairly good agreement was found, indicating that traces of transuranic nuclides, probably in the forms of fine particles, were released into the environment without their large fractionations. The obtained data may lead to more accurate information about the on-site situation (e.g., burn-up, conditions of fuel during the release phase, etc.), which would be difficult to receive otherwise, and on the dispersion and deposition processes of transuranic nuclides and the behavior of these nuclides in the environment.