137Cs and 239+240Pu levels in the Asia-Pacific regional seas

Duran, E.B.; Povinec, P.; Fowler, Scott W.; Airey, Peter; Hong, Gi Hoon

doi:10.1016/j.jenvrad.2004.03.023

Cited by 56 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 29 publications

(19 reference statements)

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“…Cesium-137 activities were 0.19 ± 0.02 Bq m −3 and below MDA (< 0.1 Bq m −3 ) for seawater collected at 674 and 915 m depths, respectively. These values are in agreement with depth profiles reported for the central North Pacific (Duran et al, 2004). Cesium-134 was not detected in any of these samples.…”

Section: Long-term Observation Of 137 Cs In Seawater Around Hawaiisupporting

confidence: 92%

Cesium-134 and 137 activities in the central North Pacific Ocean after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident

et al. 2013

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Abstract. Surface seawater 134 Cs and 137 Cs samples were collected in the central and western North Pacific Ocean during the 2 yr after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident to monitor dispersion patterns of these radioisotopes towards the Hawaiian Islands. In the absence of other recent sources and due to its short half-life, only those parts of the Pacific Ocean would have detectable 134 Cs values that were impacted by Fukushima releases. Between March and May 2011, 134 Cs was not detected around the Hawaiian Islands and Guam. Here, most 137 Cs activities (1.2-1.5 Bq m −3 ) were in the range of expected preexisting levels. Some samples north of the Hawaiian Islands (1.6-1.8 Bq m −3 ) were elevated above the 23-month baseline established in surface seawater in Hawaii indicating that those might carry atmospheric fallout. The 23-month time-series analysis of surface seawater from Hawaii did not reveal any seasonal variability or trends, with an average activity of 1.46 ± 0.06 Bq m −3 (Station Aloha, 18 values). In contrast, samples collected between Japan and Hawaii contained 134 Cs activities in the range of 1-4 Bq m −3 , and 137 Cs levels were about 2-3 times above the preexisting activities. We found that the southern boundary of the Kuroshio and Kuroshio extension currents represented a boundary for radiation dispersion with higher activities detected within and north of the major currents. The radiation plume has not been detected over the past 2 yr at the main Hawaiian Islands due to the transport patterns across the Kuroshio and Kuroshio extension currents.

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Section: Long-term Observation Of 137 Cs In Seawater Around Hawaiisupporting

confidence: 92%

Cesium-134 and 137 activities in the central North Pacific Ocean after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident

et al. 2013

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“…While the average concentration in nonIrish Sea Northern Hemisphere sites (Table VI) is 0.03 Bq/kg, some presumably uncontaminated sites have even higher concentrations. Concentrations for mollusks from the Asia-Pacific regional seas averaged 0.1 Bq/kg (Robison & Noshkin, 1999;Duran et al, 2004), although Ishikawa, Kagaya, and Saga (2004) reported values of 0.03 Bq/kg from the coast of Japan. From the Mediterranean Sea, 137 Cs concentrations averaged 0.10 Bq/kg generally (Sanchez-Cabeza & Molero, 2000), but averaged 1.23 Bq/kg from the Given are means (Bq/kg, wet weight).…”

Section: Radiocesiummentioning

confidence: 93%

“…Although some studies report on crustaceans, as well as mollusks (Duran et al, 2004), sea urchins are seldom examined (Matishov & Matishov, 2004). This may partly be due to technical difficulties.…”

Section: Radiocesiummentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Radionuclides enter the environment from natural geologic sources and from fallout from historic nuclear weapons testing (Aarkrog, 2003;Duran, Povinec, Fowler, Airey, & Hong, 2004), from nuclear facility and submarine accidents (Baeza et al, 1994;Cooper et al, 1998;Livingston & Povinec, 2000;UNSCEAR, 2000;Sanchez-Cabeza & Molero, 2000;Amundsen et al, 2002;Aumento, Donne & Eroe, 2005), and from discarded nuclear wastes (Fisher et al, 1999;IAEA, 1999). Over 500 atmospheric nuclear weapons tests were conducted from 1945-1980, primarily in the Northern Hemisphere (UNSCEAR, 2000.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Because of the importance of fish and shellfish consumption throughout the world, and the occurrence of atmospheric deposition of radionuclides into marine environments, a number of monitoring programs for radionuclides have been established in Asia (Duran et al, 2004), in the Sea of Japan (Togawa, Povinec, & Pettersson, 1999;JCAC, 2003JCAC, , 2004, in the Irish Sea (RPII, 2003(RPII, , 2004, in the French Mediterranean (Charmasson, Barker, Calmet, Pruchon, & Thebault, 1999), and in the Black Sea (Bologa, 2000). Other biomonitoring programs have been established to evaluate possible exposure from nuclear facility operations (Poon & Au, 2002;Shinohara, 2004), as well as exposure due to dumping by the Former Soviet Union (Togawa et al, 1999;Yamada, Aono, & Hirano, 1999;Lystsov, Murzin, & Nezhdanov, 1999;Matishov, Matishov, Anisimova, Dzhenyuk, & Zuev, 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Radionuclide Concentrations in Benthic Invertebrates from Amchitka and Kiska Islands in the Aleutian Chain, Alaska

Burger

Gochfeld

Jewett

2006

Environ Monit Assess

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Concentrations of 13 radionuclides (137Cs, 129I, 60Co, 152Eu, 90Sr, 99Tc, 241Am, 238Pu, 239,249Pu, 234U, 235U, 236U, 238U) were examined in seven species of invertebrates from Amchitka and Kiska Islands, in the Aleutian Chain of Alaska, using gamma spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy, and alpha spectroscopy. Amchitka Island was the site of three underground nuclear test (1965-1971), and we tested the null hypotheses that there were no differences in radionuclide concentrations between Amchitka and the reference site (Kiska) and there were no differences among species. The only radionuclides where composite samples were above the Minimum Detectable Activity (MDA) were 137Cs, 241Am, 239,249Pu, 234U, 235U, 236U, and 238U. Green sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus polyacanthus), giant chiton (Cryptochiton stelleri), plate limpets (Tectura scutum) and giant Pacific octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini) were only tested for 137Cs; octopus was the only species with detectable levels of 137Cs (0.262 +/- 0.029 Bq/kg, wet weight). Only rock jingle (Pododesmus macroschisma), blue mussel (Mytilus trossulus) and horse mussel (Modiolus modiolus) were analyzed for the actinides. There were no interspecific differences in 241Am and 239,240Pu, and almost no samples above the MDA for 238Pu and 236U. Horse mussels had significantly higher concentrations of 234U (0.844 +/- 0.804 Bq/kg) and 238U (0.730 +/- 0.646) than the other species (both isotopes are naturally occurring). There were no differences in actinide concentrations between Amchitka and Kiska. In general, radionuclides in invertebrates from Amchitka were similar to those from uncontaminated sites in the Northern Hemisphere, and below those from the contaminated Irish Sea. There is a clear research need for authors to report the concentrations of radionuclides by species, rather than simply as 'shellfish', for comparative purposes in determining geographical patterns, understanding possible effects, and for estimating risk to humans from consuming different biota.

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