Biofilm-mediated interactions between plastics and radiocesium in coastal environments

Battulga, B.; Nakanishi, Takahiro; Atarashi-Andoh, Mariko; Otosaka, Shigeyoshi*; Koarashi, Jun

Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 31, p.60080 - 60092, 2024/10

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-024-35164-y

A ubiquitous distribution of plastic debris has been reported in aquatic and terrestrial environments; however, the interactions between plastics and radionuclides and the radioactivity of environmental plastics remain largely unknown. Here, we characterize biofilms developing on the surface of plastic debris to explore the role of plastic-associated biofilms as an interaction medium between plastics and radiocesium (Cs) in the environment. Biofilm samples were extracted from plastics (1-50 mm in size) collected from two contrasting coastal areas in Japan. The radioactivity of plastics was estimated based on the Cs activity concentration of the biofilms and compared seasonally with surrounding environmental samples (i.e., sediment and sand). Cs traces were detected in biofilms with activity concentrations of 21-1300 Bq kg biofilm (dry weight), corresponding to 0.04-4.5 Bq kg plastic (dry weight). Our results reveal the interaction between Cs and plastics and provide evidence that organic and mineral components in biofilms are essential in Cs retention in environmental plastics.

Single-shot laser-driven neutron resonance spectroscopy for temperature profiling

Lan, Z.*; Arikawa, Yasunobu*; Mirfayzi, S. R.*; Morace, A.*; Hayakawa, Takehito*; Sato, Hirotaka*; Kamiyama, Takashi*; Wei, T.*; Tatsumi, Yuta*; Koizumi, Mitsuo; et al.

Nature Communications (Internet), 15, p.5365_1 - 5365_7, 2024/07

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-49142-y

Investigations on distribution of radioactive substances owing to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Accident in the fiscal year 2021 (Contract research)

Group for Fukushima Mapping Project

JAEA-Technology 2022-026, 152 Pages, 2023/01

JAEA-Technology-2022-026.pdf:20.14MB

This report presents results of the investigations on the distribution-mapping project of radioactive substances owing to TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) conducted in FY2021. Car-borne surveys, a flat ground measurement using survey meters, a walk survey and an unmanned helicopter survey were carried out to obtain air dose rate data to create air dose rate distribution maps, and temporal changes of the air dose rates were analyzed. Surveys on depth profile of radiocesium and in-situ measurements as for radiocesium deposition were performed. Based on these measurement results, effective half-lives of the temporal changes in the air dose rates and the deposition were evaluated. Score maps to classify the importance of the measurement points were created for Fukushima Prefecture and the 80 km zone from the FDNPS, and the factors causing changes in the score when monitoring data from multiple years were used were discussed. Monitoring data in coastal area performed owing to the comprehensive radiation monitoring plan until 2020 was summarized, and temporal changes in cesium-137 were analyzed. Using the Bayesian hierarchical modeling approach, we obtained maps that integrated the air dose rate distribution data obtained in this project with respect to the region within 80 km from the FDNPS and Fukushima Prefecture. The measurement results for FY2021 were published on the "Expansion Site of Distribution Map of Radiation Dose", and measurement data were stored as CSV format. Radiation monitoring and analysis of environmental samples owing to the comprehensive radiation monitoring plan were carried out.

A New approach to extracting biofilm from environmental plastics using ultrasound-assisted syringe treatment for isotopic analyses

Battulga, B.; Atarashi-Andoh, Mariko; Nakanishi, Takahiro; Koarashi, Jun

Science of the Total Environment, 849, p.157758_1 - 157758_11, 2022/11

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157758

Characterizing plastic-associated biofilms is key to the better understanding of organic material and mineral cycling in the "Plastisphere"-the thin layer of microbial life on plastics. In this study, we propose a new method to extract biofilms from environmental plastics, in order to evaluate the properties of biofilm-derived organic matter through stable carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) isotope signatures and their interactions with radionuclides especially radiocesium (Cs). After ultrasound-assisted separation from the plastics, biofilm samples were successfully collected via a sequence of syringe treatments. Biofilm-derived organic matter samples (14.5-65.4 mg) from four river mouths in Japan showed Cs activity concentrations of 75 to 820 Bq kg biofilm (dw), providing evidence that environmental plastics, mediated by developed biofilms, serve as a carrier for Cs in the coastal environment. Significant differences in the (C and N signatures were also obtained for the biofilms, indicating the different sources, pathways, and development processes of biofilms on plastics.

Fission gas release from irradiated mixed-oxide fuel pellet during simulated reactivity-initiated accident conditions; Results of BZ-3 and BZ-4 tests

Kakiuchi, Kazuo; Udagawa, Yutaka; Amaya, Masaki

Annals of Nuclear Energy, 155, p.108171_1 - 108171_11, 2021/06

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2021.108171

Ocean current data obtained by Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler across the Tsugaru Strait (Joint research)

Kawamura, Hideyuki; Hirose, Naoki*; Nakayama, Tomoharu*; Ito, Toshimichi

JAEA-Data/Code 2021-004, 34 Pages, 2021/05

JAEA-Data-Code-2021-004.pdf:3.72MB

The Japan Atomic Energy Agency measured the ocean current across the Tsugaru Strait using an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler attached on a ferryboat from October 1999 to January 2008. The characteristics of the ocean current in the Tsugaru Strait must be understood for predicting oceanic dispersion of radioactive materials released from nuclear facilities around the strait. Furthermore, it is critical to elucidate the mechanism of the Tsugaru Warm Current from an oceanography viewpoint. The dataset obtained in this investigation consists of daily ocean current data files that record the components of the current speed in the east-west and north-south directions from the surface layer to the bottom layer. The dataset stores 2,211 daily ocean current data files, despite some data periods missing from October 1999 to January 2008. In this study, information on the dataset is described for users to analyze the dataset properly for their purposes. Section 1 provides the background and purpose of the ocean current measurement, Section 2 explains the methodology of measurement using an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler, and Section 3 explains the record format of the daily ocean current data files and data acquisition rate and presents analysis results. Finally, Section 4 concludes this study.

Investigations on distribution of radioactive substances owing to the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station Accident in the fiscal year 2019 (Contract research)

Group for Fukushima Mapping Project

JAEA-Technology 2020-014, 158 Pages, 2020/12

JAEA-Technology-2020-014.pdf:23.82MB

This report presents results of the investigations on the distribution-mapping project of radioactive substances owing to TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) conducted in FY2019. Car-borne surveys, a flat ground measurement using survey meters, a walk survey and an unmanned helicopter survey were carried out to obtain air dose rate data. Air dose rate distribution maps were created and temporal changes of the air dose rates were analyzed. Regarding radiocesium deposition into the ground, surveys on depth profile of radiocesium and in-situ measurements were performed. Based on these measurement results, effective half-lives of the temporal changes in the air dose rates and the deposition were evaluated. In the examination of scoring to classify the importance of measurement points, we created a score map of Fukushima Prefecture and that within 80 km from the FDNPS based on the "score" method developed in 2018. The way of monitoring radioactive materials in land area was examined and the representativeness of monitoring points was proposed. Using the Bayesian hierarchical modeling approach, we obtained maps that integrated the air dose rate distribution data obtained from aircraft monitoring, car-borne surveys, and walk surveys with respect to the region within 80 km from the FDNPS and Fukushima Prefecture. The measurement results for FY2019 were published on the "Expansion Site of Distribution Map of Radiation Dose", and measurement data were stored as CSV format. Radiation monitoring and analysis of environmental samples owing to the comprehensive radiation monitoring plan were carried out.

Investigations on distribution of radioactive substances owing to the FDNPP accident in the fiscal year 2018 (Contract research)

Group for Fukushima Mapping Project

JAEA-Technology 2019-019, 135 Pages, 2020/03

JAEA-Technology-2019-019.pdf:22.01MB

After the accident at TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS), distribution situation survey on radioactive materials have been conducted with financially supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (later the Nuclear Regulatory Agency) from June 2011 to FY2018. Results obtained in the project in FY2018 are presented in this report. Car-borne surveys, a flat ground measurement using survey meters, a walk survey and an unmanned helicopter survey were carried out to obtain air dose rate data. Air dose rate distribution maps were created and temporal changes of air dose rate were analyzed. Regarding radiocesium deposition in the soil, depth profile survey in the soil and in-situ measurement were performed. Based on these measurement results, effective half-life of the air dose rate and the deposition were evaluated. Considering radiation monitoring data obtained in previous surveys and the installation positions of existing monitoring posts, we tried to make the "score" of the importance of measurement points. Using the Bayesian hierarchical modeling approach, we obtained a map that integrated the air dose rate distribution data obtained from aircraft monitoring, car-borne surveys, and walk surveys for the entire region within 80 km from the FDNPS. The measurement results for FY2018 were published on the "Expansion Site of Distribution Map of Radiation Dose", and measurement data were stored as CSV format. Radiation monitoring and environmental sample analysis owing to the comprehensive radiation monitoring plan were carried out.

Development of a gas-sheet target for a non-destructive profile monitor

Ogiwara, Norio; Hikichi, Yusuke*; Kamiya, Junichiro; Yamamoto, Kazami; Kinsho, Michikazu

Proceedings of 14th Annual Meeting of Particle Accelerator Society of Japan (Internet), p.563 - 567, 2017/12

A Study on self-terminating behavior of sodium-concrete reaction

Kawaguchi, Munemichi; Doi, Daisuke; Seino, Hiroshi; Miyahara, Shinya

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 53(12), p.2098 - 2107, 2016/12

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2016.1199979

A sodium concrete reaction (SCR) is one of the important phenomena to cause the structural concrete ablation and the release of H gas in the case of sever accident of sodium cooled fast reactors. In this study, the long-time SCR test had been carried out to investigate the self-termination mechanism. The results showed the SCR terminated even if the enough amount of Na remained on the concrete. The quantitative data were collected on the SCR terminating such as temperature and H generation. The reaction products, which became the small solids in liquid Na were transferred with slurry state by generated H bubbles. Though the Na transfers actively and ablated the concrete surface with the high H generation rate, the mass exchange coefficient defined as decreased and the reaction products settled gradually with decreasing the H generation rate. Therefore, the Na concentration decreased at the reaction front and resulted in the SCR terminating naturally.