Soil dust and bioaerosols as potential sources for resuspended Cs occurring near the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant

Ota, Masakazu; Takahara, Shogo; Yoshimura, Kazuya; Nagakubo, Azusa; Hirouchi, Jun; Hayashi, Naho; Abe, Tomohisa; Funaki, Hironori; Nagai, Haruyasu

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 264, p.107198_1 - 107198_15, 2023/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2023.107198

One of the current major radiation exposure pathways from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident-fallout is inhalation of the re-suspended Cs occurring in air. While wind-induced soil particle resuspension has been recognized as a primary mechanism of Cs resuspension, studies following the FDNPP accident suggested that fungal spores can be a significant source of the atmospheric Cs particularly in the rural areas such as difficult-to-return zone (DRZ). To elucidate the relative importance of the two resuspension phenomena, we propose a model simulating resuspension of Cs as soil particles and fungal spores, and applied it to DRZ. Our model's calculation showed that soil particle resuspension was responsible for the surface-air Cs observed during winter-spring, but could not account for the higher Cs concentrations observed in summer-autumn. The higher concentrations in the summer-autumn were in general reproduced by implementing fungal spore Cs emission, that replenished low soil particle Cs resuspension in that period. According to our model's concept, Cs accumulation in fungal spores and high spore emission rate characterized by the rural environment were likely responsible for the abundance of spore Cs in the air. It was inferred that the influence of the fungal spores on the atmospheric Cs would last longer since un-decontaminated forests still exist in DRZ.

Pressure-modulated magnetism and negative thermal expansion in the HoFe intermetallic compound

Cao, Y.*; Zhou, H.*; Khmelevskyi, S.*; Lin, K.*; Avdeev, M.*; Wang, C.-W.*; Wang, B.*; Hu, F.*; Kato, Kenichi*; Hattori, Takanori; et al.

Chemistry of Materials, 35(8), p.3249 - 3255, 2023/04

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.3c00158

Hydrostatic and chemical pressure are efficient stimuli to alter the crystal structure and are commonly used for tuning electronic and magnetic properties in materials science. However, chemical pressure is difficult to quantify and a clear correspondence between these two types of pressure is still lacking. Here, we study intermetallic candidates for a permanent magnet with a negative thermal expansion (NTE). Based on in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction, negative chemical pressure is revealed in HoFe on Al doping and quantitatively evaluated by using temperature and pressure dependence of unit cell volume. A combination of magnetization and neutron diffraction measurements also allowed one to compare the effect of chemical pressure on magnetic ordering with that of hydrostatic pressure. Intriguingly, pressure can be used to control suppression and enhancement of NTE. Electronic structure calculations indicate that pressure affected the top of the majority band with respect to the Fermi level, which has implications for the magnetic stability, which in turn plays a critical role in modulating magnetism and NTE. This work presents a good example of understanding the effect of pressure and utilizing it to control properties of functional materials.

Fact-finding survey on the competencies and literacy of radiological technologists regarding radiation disasters

Arai, Tomohiro*; Murata, Sho*; Watanabe, Yuichi*; Ishihara, Toshihiro*; Fukamizu, Yoshiya*; Takeda, Satoshi*; Ebata, Kiyokadzu*; Watanabe, Yuki; Takashima, Yoshio*; Kaneko, Junichi*

Journal of X-Ray Science and Technology, 31(2), p.237 - 245, 2023/03

https://doi.org/10.3233/XST-221341

Radiological technologists have received specialized education about radiation and serve as risk communicators who aim to lessen patients' anxiety about radiation exposure, in addition to performing radiological examinations in routine clinical practice. Also, Radiological technologists across Japan were dispatched to the affected area to conduct an essential procedure-screening the belongings and body surfaces of evacuees for contamination at the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant operated by Tokyo Electric Power Company in March 2011. In this study, we conducted a fact-finding survey on knowledge and awareness of radiation disasters among radiological technologists at National Hospital Organization facilities in Japan to reveal their literacy and competencies regarding radiation disasters. Also, we compared the knowledge and awareness of radiation disasters among Japanese radiological technologists between nuclear power station areas and non-nuclear power station areas and discuss ideal human resource development for radiological technologists to be ready to serve during a radiation disaster.

Design and actual performance of J-PARC 3 GeV rapid cycling synchrotron for high-intensity operation

Yamamoto, Kazami; Kinsho, Michikazu; Hayashi, Naoki; Saha, P. K.; Tamura, Fumihiko; Yamamoto, Masanobu; Tani, Norio; Takayanagi, Tomohiro; Kamiya, Junichiro; Shobuda, Yoshihiro; et al.

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 59(9), p.1174 - 1205, 2022/09

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2038301

In the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex, the purpose of the 3 GeV rapid cycling synchrotron (RCS) is to accelerate a 1 MW, high-intensity proton beam. To achieve beam operation at a repetition rate of 25 Hz at high intensities, the RCS was elaborately designed. After starting the RCS operation, we carefully verified the validity of its design and made certain improvements to establish a reliable operation at higher power as possible. Consequently, we demonstrated beam operation at a high power, namely, 1 MW. We then summarized the design, actual performance, and improvements of the RCS to achieve a 1 MW beam.

Spatial variation in soil respiration rate is controlled by the content of particulate organic materials in the volcanic ash soil under a plantation

Abe, Yukiko*; Liang, N.*; Teramoto, Munemasa*; Koarashi, Jun; Atarashi-Andoh, Mariko; Hashimoto, Shoji*; Tange, Takeshi*

Geoderma Regional (Internet), 29, p.e00529_1 - e00529_11, 2022/06

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geodrs.2022.e00529

This study aimed to clarify the causes of spatial variation in soil respiration rate on volcanic ash soil. From January 2013 to August 2019, soil respiration rates were measured at 40 measuring points periodically at a 35-year-old plantation in Tokyo, Japan. In August 2019, the carbon content of the litter layer, total carbon content of soil organic matter (SOM), carbon content of the low-density fraction (LF-C) of SOM, fine root biomass, and bulk density of soil were measured at all measuring points. Results of the multiple regression analysis showed that the model with only the LF-C as an explanatory variable had the highest capability for predicting the respiration rate at a soil temperature of 20C, indicating that LF-C, which is considered to be readily available to soil microorganisms, can be the main factor responsible for the spatial variation in soil respiration rate.

Structure of basaltic glass at pressures up to 18 GPa

Ohashi, Tomonori*; Sakamaki, Tatsuya*; Funakoshi, Kenichi*; Hattori, Takanori; Hisano, Naoki*; Abe, Jun*; Suzuki, Akio*

American Mineralogist, 107(3), p.325 - 335, 2022/03

https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2021-7742

The basaltic glass structure were investigated to 18 GPa using in situ X-ray and neutron diffraction. The O-O coordination number (CN) starts to rise with maintaining the mean O-O distance (r) above 2-4 GPa, and then CN stops increasing and r begins to shrink along with the increase in the Al-O coordination number (CN) above 9 GPa. This is interpreted by the change in the contraction mechanism from tetrahedral network bending to oxygen packing ratio increase via the CN increase. The oxygen packing fraction exceeds the value for dense random packing, suggesting that the oxygen-packing hypothesis cannot account for the pressure-induced structural transformations of silica and silicate glasses. The CN increase at 2-4 GPa reflects the elastic softening of silicate glass, which may causes anomalous elastic moduli of basaltic glass at 2 GPa.

Annual report on the environmental radiation monitoring around the Tokai Reprocessing Plant FY2020

Nakada, Akira; Nakano, Masanao; Kanai, Katsuta; Seya, Natsumi; Nishimura, Shusaku; Nemoto, Masashi; Tobita, Keiji; Futagawa, Kazuo; Yamada, Ryohei; Uchiyama, Rei; et al.

JAEA-Review 2021-062, 163 Pages, 2022/02

JAEA-Review-2021-062.pdf:2.87MB

Environmental radiation monitoring around the Tokai Reprocessing Plant has been performed by the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories, based on "Safety Regulations for the Reprocessing Plant of Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Chapter IV - Environmental Monitoring". This annual report presents the results of the environmental monitoring and the dose estimation to the hypothetical inhabitant due to the radioactivity discharged from the plant to the atmosphere and the sea during April 2020 to March 2021. In this report, some data include the influence of the accidental release from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station of Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc. (the trade name was changed to Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. on April 1, 2016) in March 2011. Appendices present comprehensive information, such as monitoring programs, monitoring methods, monitoring results and their trends, meteorological data and discharged radioactive wastes. In addition, the data which were influenced by the accidental release and exceeded the normal range of fluctuation in the monitoring, were evaluated.

Soil microbial community responding to moderately elevated nitrogen deposition in a Japanese cool temperate forest surrounded by fertilized grasslands

Nagano, Hirohiko; Nakayama, Masataka*; Katata, Genki*; Fukushima, Keitaro*; Yamaguchi, Takashi*; Watanabe, Makoto*; Kondo, Toshiaki*; Atarashi-Andoh, Mariko; Kubota, Tomohiro*; Tateno, Ryunosuke*; et al.

Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, 67(5), p.606 - 616, 2021/10

https://doi.org/10.1080/00380768.2021.1974799

We analyzed the relationships between nitrogen deposition (deposition of nitrate and ammonium ions) and soil microbial properties in a cool temperate forest surrounded by normally fertilized pasture grasslands in northern Japan. The aim of the present study was to gain the primary information on soil microbial response to moderately elevated nitrogen deposition ( 10 kg N ha y). We established three experimental plots in the forest edge adjacent to grasslands and other three plots in the forest interior at least 700 m away from the grasslands. During May to November 2018, nitrogen deposition in each plot was measured. In August 2018, litter and soil (0-5 cm depth) samples were collected from all plots to measure net nitrogen mineralization and nitrification rates as indicators of microbial activity, and microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen and various gene abundances (i.e. bacterial 16S rRNA, fungal ITS, bacterial amoA, and archaeal amoA genes) as indicators of microbial abundance and structure. Nitrogen deposition in the forest edge was 1.4-fold greater than that in the forest interior, even while the maximum deposition was 3.7 kg N ha. Nitrogen deposition was significantly correlated to the net nitrogen mineralization and nitrification rates and the 16S rRNA and bacterial amoA gene abundances. Microbial community structures were different between litter and soil samples but were similar between the forest edge and interior. Significant correlations of nitrogen deposition to the soil carbon to nitrogen ratio, and the nitrate and ammonium contents were also observed. Thus, our results show that moderately elevated nitrogen deposition in nitrogen-limited forest edges can stimulate microbial activities and abundances in soils.

Crystal structure of nesquehonite, MgCO 3H(D)O by neutron diffraction and effect of pH on structural formulas of nesquehonite

Yamamoto, Genichiro*; Kyono, Atsushi*; Abe, Jun*; Sano, Asami; Hattori, Takanori

Journal of Mineralogical and Petrological Sciences, 116(2), p.96 - 103, 2021/04

https://doi.org/10.2465/jmps.200117

Neutron diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and thermal analysis were performed to investigate the composition, structure, and formation conditions of the magnesium carbonate hydrate nesquehonite. The time-of-flight neutron diffraction revealed the crystal structure of the monoclinic space group 2 with lattice parameters of =7.72100(12)=5.37518(7)=12.1430(3)=90.165(4), in which two deuterium atoms are coordinated to the O1, O2, and O6 atoms to form water molecules. The three water molecules in the structure suggests the structural formula of the nesquehonite should be MgCO 3HO rather than Mg(HCO)(OH) 2HO.

Manufacture of substitutive assemblies for MONJU reactor decommissioning

Sakakibara, Hiroshi; Aoki, Nobuhiro; Muto, Masahiro; Otabe, Jun; Takahashi, Kenji*; Fujita, Naoyuki*; Hiyama, Kazuhiko*; Suzuki, Hirokazu*; Kamogawa, Toshiyuki*; Yokosuka, Toru*; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2020-020, 73 Pages, 2021/03

JAEA-Technology-2020-020.pdf:8.26MB

The decommissioning is currently in progress at the prototype fast breeder reactor Monju. Fuel assemblies will be taken out of its core for the first step of the great task. Fuel assemblies stand on their own spike plugged into a socket on the core support plate and support with adjacent assemblies through their housing pads each other, resulting in steady core structure. For this reason, some substitutive assemblies are necessary for the purpose of discharging the fuel assemblies of the core. Monju side commissioned, therefore, Plutonium Fuel Development Center to manufacture the substitutive assemblies and the Center accepted it. This report gives descriptions of design, manufacture, and shipment in regard to the substitutive assemblies.