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.

Third international challenge to model the medium- to long-range transport of radioxenon to four Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty monitoring stations

Maurer, C.*; Galmarini, S.*; Solazzo, E.*; Kumierczyk-Michulec, J.*; Bar, J.*; Kalinowski, M.*; Schoeppner, M.*; Bourgouin, P.*; Crawford, A.*; Stein, A.*; et al.

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 255, p.106968_1 - 106968_27, 2022/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2022.106968

After performing multi-model exercises in 2015 and 2016, a comprehensive Xe-133 atmospheric transport modeling challenge was organized in 2019. For evaluation measured samples for the same time frame were gathered from four International Monitoring System stations located in Europe and North America with overall considerable influence of IRE and/or CNL emissions. As a lesion learnt from the 2nd ATM-Challenge participants were prompted to work with controlled and harmonized model set ups to make runs more comparable, but also to increase diversity. Effects of transport errors, not properly characterized remaining emitters and long IMS sampling times (12 to 24 hours) undoubtedly interfere with the effect of high-quality IRE and CNL stack data. An ensemble based on a few arbitrary submissions is good enough to forecast the Xe-133 background at the stations investigated. The effective ensemble size is below five.

Spatial variations in radiocesium deposition and litter-soil distribution in a mountainous forest catchment affected by the Fukushima nuclear accident

Atarashi-Andoh, Mariko; Koarashi, Jun; Tsuzuki, Katsunori; Takeuchi, Erina; Nishimura, Shusaku; Muto, Kotomi*; Matsunaga, Takeshi*

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 238-239, p.106725_1 - 106725_8, 2021/11

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2021.106725

To understand the spatial variation in soil Cs inventory in complex mountainous topography, a whole-area investigation of Cs deposition in a broad-leaved forest catchment of a mountain stream was conducted using grid sampling. Across the catchment, organic and surface mineral soil layers were collected at 42 locations in 2013 and 6 locations in 2015. Cs deposition on the forest floor exhibited high spatial heterogeneity and altitude-dependent distribution over the catchment. The Cs retention ratio in the organic layer ranged from 6% to 82% in 2013. The Cs retention ratios had positive correlations with the material inventory in the organic layer and the elevation. The Cs retention ratios in the organic layer were less than 20% in 2015, even at the locations where the retention ratio was higher than 55% in 2013. Although there was spatial variation in the migration speed, Cs migration from the organic layer to mineral soil was almost completed within 4 y of the deposition.

A Modeling study on the oceanic dispersion and sedimentation of radionuclides off the coast of Fukushima

Kamidaira, Yuki; Uchiyama, Yusuke*; Kawamura, Hideyuki; Kobayashi, Takuya; Otosaka, Shigeyoshi*

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 238-239, p.106724_1 - 106724_16, 2021/11

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2021.106724

A three-dimensional oceanic dispersion model considering the migration of radionuclides between seawater and sediments was developed. The migration mechanism of dissolved Cs-137 originating from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident to sediments was investigated. The comparison between the model and the observed data showed that the model can adequately reproduce the ocean structure and the concentration of Cs-137 in seawater and sediments. Cs-137 distribution in the sediment off the Fukushima coast was formed mainly owing to adsorption from the dissolved phase by June 2011, when the impact of the direct oceanic Cs-137 release from FNPP1 was remarkable.

Cosmogenic Be; Particle size distribution and chemical composition of Be-carrying aerosols in the atmosphere in Japan

Narazaki, Yukinori*; Sakoda, Akihiro; Takahashi, Shunta*; Momoshima, Noriyuki*

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 237, p.106690_1 - 106690_7, 2021/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2021.106690

The particle size distributions of airborne aerosols with Be were measured using cascade impactors at Dazaifu, a city in western Japan, in 2018 to observe their seasonal variation. Be was found to be attached to aerosols with a particle size of less than 2.1 m; in general, particles sized 0.43-0.65 m had the highest Be activity concentrations. The activity median aerodynamic diameter (AMAD) of Be was in the range of 0.39-0.52 m, which is the size range of particles that can reach human alveoli, and had an annual mean of 0.430.035 m. The activity concentrations of Be were significantly lower in summer, which affected its activity concentrations in the particle size distributions of Be. The particle size distribution of Be-carrying aerosols was also affected by that of the aerosol particles in the atmosphere. Finally, findings suggest that Be was mainly attached to sulfate aerosols (particularly ammonium sulfate aerosols).

I/I and C records in a modern coral from Rowley Shoals off northwestern Australia reflect the 20th-century human nuclear activities and ocean/atmosphere circulations

Mitsuguchi, Takehiro; Okabe, Nobuaki*; Yokoyama, Yusuke*; Yoneda, Minoru*; Shibata, Yasuyuki*; Fujita, Natsuko; Watanabe, Takahiro; Kokubu, Yoko

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 235-236, p.106593_1 - 106593_10, 2021/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2021.106593

For a contribution to developing the usage of iodine-129 (I) as a tracer of deep-seated fluid, I/I and C were measured for annual bands (AD 1931-1991) of a modern coral collected from Northwestern Australia; the measurements were performed using the JAEA-AMS-TONO-5MV for I/I and an AMS facility of the University of Tokyo for C. Results indicate that both I/I and C distinctly increase from 1950s. The C increase can be ascribed to atmospheric nuclear tests, while the I/I increase is due to nuclear-fuel reprocessing as well as atmospheric nuclear tests. These results are in good agreement with previous studies, indicating that the I/I measurement by JAEA-AMS-TONO-5MV has been further developed.

Calculations for ambient dose equivalent rates in nine forests in eastern Japan from Cs and Cs radioactivity measurements

Malins, A.; Imamura, Naohiro*; Niizato, Tadafumi; Takahashi, Junko*; Kim, M.; Sakuma, Kazuyuki; Shinomiya, Yoshiki*; Miura, Satoru*; Machida, Masahiko

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 226, p.106456_1 - 106456_12, 2021/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2020.106456

Distribution map of natural gamma-ray dose rates for studies of the additional exposure dose after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station accident

Sanada, Yukihisa; Yoshimura, Kazuya; Urabe, Yoshimi*; Iwai, Takeyuki*; Katengeza, E. W.*

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 223-224, p.106397_1 - 106397_9, 2020/11

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2020.106397

Optimizing long-term monitoring of radiation air-dose rates after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

Sun, D.*; Wainwright-Murakami, Haruko*; Oroza, C. A.*; Seki, Akiyuki; Mikami, Satoshi; Takemiya, Hiroshi; Saito, Kimiaki

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 220-221, p.106281_1 - 106281_8, 2020/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2020.106281

We have developed a methodology for optimizing the monitoring locations of radiation air dose-rate monitoring. For the method, we use a Gaussian mixture model to identify the representative locations among multiple environmental variables, such as elevation and land-cover types. Next, we use a Gaussian process model to capture and estimate the heterogeneity of air-dose rates across the domain. Our results have shown that this approach allows us to select monitoring locations in a systematic manner such that the heterogeneity of air dose rates is captured by the minimal number of monitoring locations.

Refinement of source term and atmospheric dispersion simulations of radionuclides during the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident

Terada, Hiroaki; Nagai, Haruyasu; Tsuzuki, Katsunori; Furuno, Akiko; Kadowaki, Masanao; Kakefuda, Toyokazu*

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 213, p.106104_1 - 106104_13, 2020/03

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2019.106104

In order to assess the radiological dose to the public resulting from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident in Japan, the spatial and temporal distribution of radioactive materials in the environment is necessary to be reconstructed by computer simulations with the atmospheric transport, dispersion and deposition model (ATDM) and source term of radioactive materials discharged into the atmosphere is essential. In this study, we carried out refinement of the source term and improvement of ATDM simulation by using an optimization method based on Bayesian inference with various measurements (air concentration, surface deposition, and fallout). We also constructed the spatiotemporal distribution of some major radionuclides in the air and on the surface (optimized dispersion database) by using the optimized release rates and ATDM simulations which is used for the comprehensive dose assessment by coupling with the behavioral pattern of evacuees from the accident.