Development of an electron spin resonance spectroscopy code for measuring carbonate radicals in tooth enamel and verification of its practicality using irradiated Japanese macaque teeth

Yamashita, Takuma*; Hayashi, Teppei*; Mitsuyasu, Yusuke*; Ono, Kenta*; Iwami, Satone*; Kino, Yasushi*; Sekine, Tsutomu*; Oka, Toshitaka; Takahashi, Atsushi*; Shimizu, Yoshinaka*; et al.

International Journal of Radiation Biology, 8 Pages, 2025/00

https://doi.org/10.1080/09553002.2025.2510676

no abstracts in English

Study on microwave power dependency of electron spin resonance spectrum of carbonate radicals in teeth

Iwami, Satone*; Yamashita, Takuma*; Mitsuyasu, Yusuke*; Ono, Kenta*; Oka, Toshitaka; Takahashi, Atsushi*; Kino, Yasushi*; Sekine, Tsutomu*; Shimizu, Yoshinaka*; Chiba, Mirei*; et al.

KEK Proceedings 2024-6, p.91 - 95, 2024/12

We aim to improve the detection limit of the ESR dosimetry method. In this study, the saturation behavior of each radical was investigated by varying the microwave power during ESR measurement. Based on the difference in spin relaxation time between carbonate radicals and native radicals, it is expected that the signal-to-noise ratio improves and the detection limit can be lowered when the microwave power is increased to 4.0 mW.

Radiation exposure and oxidative stress status of wild Japanese macaques in the ex-evacuation zone of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident

Ishikawa, Ryoya*; Suzuki, Masatoshi*; Kino, Yasushi*; Endo, Satoru*; Nakajima, Hiroo*; Oka, Toshitaka; Takahashi, Atsushi*; Shimizu, Yoshinaka*; Suzuki, Toshihiko*; Shinoda, Hisashi*; et al.

KEK Proceedings 2022-2, p.61 - 66, 2022/11

The balance between oxidative stress and antioxidant activity, which is a defense mechanism against oxidative stress, was investigated in the liver and bladder of wild Japanese macaques captured in Fukushima Prefecture. No significant induction of oxidative stress by exposure to environmental radionuclides after the Fukushima nuclear accident was observed, suggesting that the stress defense mechanism of the organism is activated in some organs.

Detection limit of electron spin resonance for Japanese deciduous tooth enamel and density separation method for enamel-dentine separation

Oka, Toshitaka; Takahashi, Atsushi*; Koarai, Kazuma; Kino, Yasushi*; Sekine, Tsutomu*; Shimizu, Yoshinaka*; Chiba, Mirei*; Suzuki, Toshihiko*; Osaka, Ken*; Sasaki, Keiichi*; et al.

Journal of Radiation Research (Internet), 63(4), p.609 - 614, 2022/07

AA2021-0724.pdf:0.68MB

https://doi.org/10.1093/jrr/rrac033

Electron spin resonance (ESR) dosimetry is one of the most powerful tools for radiation dose reconstruction. The detection limit of this technique using human teeth is reported to be 56 mGy or 67 mGy; however, the absorbed dose of Fukushima residents after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) accident was estimated to be lower than this detection limit. Our aim is to assess the absorbed radiation dose of children in Fukushima Prefecture after the accident; therefore, it is important to estimate the detection limit for their teeth. The detection limit for enamel of deciduous teeth of Japanese children separated by the mechanical method is estimated to be 115.0 mGy. The density separation method can effectively separate enamel from third molars of Japanese people. As we have collected thousands of teeth from children in Fukushima, the present technique may be useful to examine their external absorbed dose after the FNPP accident.

Rapid analysis of Sr in cattle bone and tooth samples by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Koarai, Kazuma; Matsueda, Makoto; Aoki, Jo; Yanagisawa, Kayo*; Terashima, Motoki; Fujiwara, Kenso; Kino, Yasushi*; Oka, Toshitaka; Takahashi, Atsushi*; Suzuki, Toshihiko*; et al.

Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, 36(8), p.1678 - 1682, 2021/08

https://doi.org/10.1039/D1JA00086A

Rapid analysis of Sr in bone and tooth samples of cattle were achieved by an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) coupled with mass shift and solid phase extraction techniques. Limit of detection (LOD) in the ICP-MS measurement of 0.1 g samples was lower than that of the radioactivity measurement. Analytical time of the ICP-MS method was reduced from 20 days to 11 hours, compared with the radiometric method. Therefore, the ICP-MS method can be rapid and useful procedure of Sr in small bone and tooth samples derived from terrestrial animals.

Morphological reproductive characteristics of testes and fertilization capacity of cryopreserved sperm after the Fukushima accident in raccoon ()

Komatsu, Kazuki*; Iwasaki, Tsugumi*; Murata, Kosuke*; Yamashiro, Hideaki*; Goh, V. S. T.*; Nakayama, Ryo*; Fujishima, Yohei*; Ono, Takumi*; Kino, Yasushi*; Shimizu, Yoshinaka*; et al.

Reproduction in Domestic Animals, 56(3), p.484 - 497, 2021/03

https://doi.org/10.1111/rda.13887

We have established an archive system of livestock and wild animals from the surrounding ex-evacuation zone. Wildlife within the alert zone have been exposed to low-dose-rate (LDR) radiation for a long and continuous time. In this study, we analysed the morphological characteristics of the testes and in vitro fertilization (IVF) capacity of cryopreserved sperm of raccoons from the ex-evacuation zone of the FDNPP accident. This study revealed that the chronic and LDR radiation exposure associated with the FDNPP accident had no adverse effect on the reproductive characteristics and functions of male raccoons.

Usage of enamel as a dosimeter below 200 mGy

Oka, Toshitaka; Takahashi, Atsushi*; Shinoda, Hisashi*

no journal, , 

Tooth enamel can be one of the powerful materials which can measure from the order of mGy to Gy. In the present study, we evaluated the performance of tooth enamel as a disposable dosimeter below 200 mGy. Enamel sample and a commercial pocket dosimeter (PD) were put in a plastic box and exposed to the environment in high, medium, and low air dose rate areas in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, from April to October (avoid the snowing season) for two years (the exposure period is total one year). The absorbed dose estimated by both methods linearly increase with increasing days, and they matched within error bars for all the areas. It indicates that the tooth enamel can be used as a dosimeter as well as the commercial PD below 200 mGy.

Radiation from human deciduous teeth formed after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident

Takahashi, Atsushi*; Chiba, Mirei*; Suzuki, Toshihiko*; Kino, Yasushi*; Koarai, Kazuma; Oka, Toshitaka; Nakamura, Fumihiko*; Igarashi, Minoru*; Umino, Makoto*; Osaka, Ken*; et al.

no journal, , 

We have collected more than 7,000 deciduous teeth that spontaneously drop out in the process of being replaced by permanent teeth for more than 10 years after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident from all over Japan, mainly from Fukushima Prefecture, and have investigated whether the amount of radioactive materials in dentition formed after the nuclear accident is increased compared to teeth formed before the accident, using Imaging plates have been used to investigate whether the amount of radioactive materials in the dentition formed after the nuclear accident increased compared to teeth formed before the accident. Comparison of teeth formed before and after the accident suggested that even if radionuclides were taken into the body after the accident, they did not significantly increase the amount of radionuclides in the teeth.

A performance evaluation of tooth enamel as a solid-state dosimeter

Oka, Toshitaka; Takahashi, Atsushi*; Miura, Tomisato*; Shinoda, Hisashi*

no journal, , 

From the point of view of dosimeter, tooth enamel has a great sensitivity to radiation and it can be a powerful probe to detect dose from the order of mGy to Gy. In this work, we evaluated the performance of tooth enamel as a high sensitive solid-state dosimeter. Absorbed dose estimated by ESR dosimetry technique was consistent with dose measured by a commerical pocket dosimeter within an error bar, It suggests that tooth enamel can be use as a "non-directional characteristics" dosimeter, which detect dose in mGy order as well as a commercial pocket dosimeter.

Incorporation record of radionuclides in teeth and otoliths

Koarai, Kazuma; Matsueda, Makoto; Fujiwara, Kenso; Ono, Takumi*; Kino, Yasushi*; Oka, Toshitaka; Okutsu, Kenichi*; Takahashi, Atsushi*; Suzuki, Toshihiko*; Shimizu, Yoshinaka*; et al.

no journal, , 

We have investigated incorporation of Sr and Cs in teeth of cattle and otoliths of fish. Specific activity of Sr in the dentin tissue was higher than that in the enamel tissue. The result shows change of Sr incorporation in cattle even within a tooth. Concentrations of stable Sr and Cs were 94 ppm and 3 ppb. Distributions of stable Sr and Cs were uniform in the otolith of fish. If distribution of Sr and Cs in the otolith was measured, change of Sr and Cs incorporation into the fish would be found. These findings suggest that distribution patterns of Sr and Cs in the environment could be estimated from distribution of the radionuclides in the tooth and otolith.