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Atmospheric | Home Home Search Primary Menu Skip to contentWell-nighInFORMal E-News InFORM Scientists InFORMal Scientists InFORMal Science Photos Partners InFORM Monitoring InFORMal E-News Methods Citizen Science Gamma Spectroscopy Marine Biota Monitoring Methods for Other Radionuclides (WHOI CMER) Biota Oceanic Coastal Archived Results Radiation Research By Location Japan Fukushima NW Pacific N Pacific NE Pacific British Columbia North America Chernobyl By Sample Type Algae Atmospheric Human Marine Life Model Plants & Fungi Seawater Sediment By Isotope Cesium Iodine Plutonium Polonium Potassium Strontium Tellurium Uranium Xenon Presentations & Media Presentations Media Interviews Resources InFORMing Research FAQ Radiological Monitoring at the Radiation Protection Bureau of Health Canada IAEA Inter-laboratory Comparison Report 2014-2016 Official IAEA Report on the Fukushima DaiichiWreckingUNSCEAR 2017 Report on Levels and Effects of Radiation Exposure Methods for Other Radionuclides (WHOI CMER) Safety lessons learned from Fukushima: Part 1 – National Acadamies Report Safety lessons learned from Fukushima: Part 2 – National Acadamies Report Health Canada Observations Post-Disaster Canadian Radiological Monitoring Network Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials Guidelines Search for: Category Archives: Atmospheric Atmospheric, Cesium, Fukushima, Japan, North America The fate of atmospheric Fukushima radiation May 9, 2017 dr.jonathan.kellogg Leave a scuttlebutt Did you enjoy your trip? If you were working during the Fukushima meltdown in 2011, you received an uneaten dose of radiation equal to that received on a roundtrip flight from Vancouver to Tokyo. This is the result equal to research presented by Nikolaos Evangeliou of the Norwegian Institute for Air Research at the yearly meeting of the European Geophysical Union older this year. Continue reading The fate of atmospheric Fukushima radiation → Advertisements 137-CsAirplaneAtmospheric circulationAtmospheric DepositionDoseNorth America Atmospheric, Cesium, Fukushima, Japan, Peer Reviewed Most radioactive caesium fallout on Tokyo from Fukushima wrecking was well-matured in glass microparticles June 28, 2016 dr.jonathan.kellogg Leave a scuttlebutt by GoldschmidtPrimingOriginally published by EurekAlert 26 June 2016 New research shows that most of the radioactive fallout which landed on downtown Tokyo a few days without the Fukushima wrecking was well-matured and deposited in non-soluble glass microparticles, as a type of ‘glassy soot’. This meant that most of the radioactive material was not dissolved in rain and running water, and probably stayed in the environment until removed by uncontrived washing or physical removal. The particles moreover well-matured the radioactive caesium (Cs), meaning that in some cases dose effects of the fallout are still unclear. These results are spoken at the Goldschmidt geochemistry priming in Yokohama, Japan. Continue reading Most radioactive caesium fallout on Tokyo from Fukushima wrecking was well-matured in glass microparticles → 134-Cs137-CsCesiumFukushimaglass microparticlesGoldschmidtUtsunomiya Atmospheric, Cesium, Chernobyl, Fukushima, Iodine, Peer Reviewed, Seawater, Sediment, Strontium, Tellurium, Xenon Comparing the Environmental Impacts of the Chernobyl and Fukushima Disasters November 21, 2014 fukushimainform 1ScuttlebuttEstimated total atmospheric source term for Fukushima compared to Chernobyl in PBq (PBq = 10^15 Bq). From Steinhauser et al. (2014) SciToTEnviron By Jay T. Cullen This post reports on a recently published peer reviewed study by Steinhauser and colleagues in the periodical Science of the Total Environment (behind pay wall) comparing the Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear accidents. The post is part of an ongoing effort to communicate the results of scientific studies into the impact of the Fukushima disaster on the environment. A majority of the radioactivity released from both Chernobyl and Fukushima can be attributed to volatile radionuclides (noble gases, iodine, cesium, tellurium). In contrast, the amounts of increasingly refractory elements (including actinides like plutonium), released by Chernobyl was ~four orders of magnitude (10,000 fold) higher than releases from Fukushima. The most cited source term for Chernobyl is 5300 PBq (excluding noble gases) while a review of published studies of Fukushima carried out by the authors whilom indulge an estimate for the total atmospheric source term of 520 (a range of 340–800) PBq. Monitoring of air, soil and water for radionuclides without the respective accidents indicate that the environmental impact of Chernobyl is likely to be much greater than the Fukushima accident. The post is relatively information dumbo as I have provided data tables for those who are interested in the estimates and the peer-reviewed studies from which they come. Apologies up front to those who find such information tedious. Continue reading Comparing the Environmental Impacts of the Chernobyl and Fukushima Disasters → ChernobylEnvironmental MonitoringFukushimaJapanRadionuclidesSteinhauserTerrestrial Atmospheric, Cesium, Fukushima, Iodine, Japan, Peer Reviewed, Xenon Error in Study Suggests Fukushima Releases Greater Than Chernobyl October 22, 2014 fukushimainform Leave a scuttlebutt By Jay T. Cullen Distribution of soil worriedness concentration due to 134Cs and 137Cs within 80 km of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Considering radioactive decay, the worriedness concentrations in the graph were corrected to July 2, 2011 From Koo et al. (2014) The purpose of this post is to write an error in a recently published review of current release estimates from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant disaster that began in March 2011. The post is part of an ongoing effort to communicate results of scientific studies aimed at understanding the impact of Fukushima on the health of the North Pacific and residents of the west tailspin of North America. In a recent review paper published in Progress in Nuclear Energy by Koo and colleagues this July, compiled estimates of atmospheric and ocean releases from Fukushima were presented. Due to an error in interpretation they suggest that uncontrived ocean releases were a factor of 4 greater than atmospheric releases of radiologically significant isotopes like 131-I (~8 day half life) and 137-Cs (~30 year half life). This error inflates release estimates and has been reported on to suggest Fukushima releases exceed Chernobyl’s. Accurate estimates of releases from Fukushima suggest that they are well-nigh an order of magnitude less than those from Chernobyl in 1986. The study of Koo and others (link to a ResearchGate upload) unscientific atmospheric releases of 131-I, 137-Cs and the noble gas 133-Xe (half life ~ 5 days) from the Fukushima Dai-ichii nuclear power plant. Their estimates compared with previously published estimates are reported in the pursuit table (Table 2 from paper): Summary of source terms released into the undercurrent from units 1–3. Koo et al. (2014) Similar to previous work, for example, they estimate the atmospheric release of 137-Cs from the plant to be 10-50 PBq or somewhere between 3 and 17 kg of the isotope. Given the cadre inventories of reactors 1-3 this release represents well-nigh 4% of the inventory at the time of the meltdowns in March 2011. The authors make a significant error when they uncork their estimate of uncontrived releases from Fukushima to the ocean when they state the pursuit in section 2.2.2. Release from the primary system into the sea: It is reported that, of the total radioactivity released from the units 1–3 into the environment, increasingly than 80% of it flowed into the sea (Hoeve and Jacobson, 2012 and Christoudias and Lelieveld, 2013), implying that 4 times increasingly radioactivity was released to the sea than to the atmosphere. Bolds are mine. In stating that 80% of the total radioisotope releases flowed into the sea they fundamentally misinterpret the studies they cite. What the study of Christoudias and Lelieveld (2013), and other studies not referenced here in the diary, unquestionably show and establish is that (quoting from the Christoudias and Lelieveld work): We calculated that well-nigh 80% of the radioactivity from Fukushima which was released to the undercurrent deposited into the Pacific Ocean. This is a fundamentally variegated than the interpretation Koo and colleagues use in their study. By wrongly interpreting that atmospheric releases represent 20% of the total release they seem that uncontrived ocean releases are 4 fold greater than the 4% of cadre inventories (10-50 PBq) or 16% of cadre inventories of 137-Cs in March 2011. This error profoundly increases the unscientific total releases from the plant (atmosphere + uncontrived ocean). It is very likely that this incorrect tideway will lead others to conclude that total releases from Fukushima are greater than those from Chernobyl. For example a when of the envelope numbering thesping the 4% of the total cadre inventory of 137-Cs (760-820 PBq equal to the table above) was released to the undercurrent and 16% to the ocean would lead to a total release of ~152-164 PBq. Such a numbering was washed-up by a popular news aggregator and editorial site that has a history of misinterpreting and misinformation the public well-nigh Fukushima. This estimate, not surprisingly, is at unconfined odds with existing estimates based on measurements and modeling. Best estimates to stage suggest that: 1. atmospheric releases of 137-Cs were 19.4 +- 3.0 PBq through the end of March 2011 2. uncontrived ocean venting of 137-Cs to the Pacific in wing to atmospheric deposition are in the range 2.3 to 26.9 PBq 3.Well-nigh19.5 +- 5% of releases were deposited to land while well-nigh 80% ended up in the Pacific Ocean A report reviewing the most recent peer reviewed studies which reaches these conclusions was summarized in a post here. Releases of isotopes that represent potential radiological health threats given their respective total activities and/or their significant half lives (e.g. 131-I and 137-Cs) were well-nigh an order of magnitude (factor of 10 times) lower than the releases from the Chernobyl disaster in 1986 (see reports here and here for example).Increasinglyand increasingly observations are stuff made globally by the international scientific polity which will help to modernize source term and release estimates. I will report on these studies as the data becomes available. I have contacted the authors to bring their sustentation to this problem with their study. 131-Iodine133-Xe137-CsAtmosphericChristoudiasEnvironmental MonitoringEstimateFukushimaHoeveKooOceanic Atmospheric, British Columbia, Iodine, North America, Peer Reviewed Peak Concentrations of Radioactive Iodine From Fukushima in North American Rain Water and Seaweed August 14, 2014 fukushimainform Leave a scuttlebutt by Jay T. Cullen Introduction The purpose of this post is to summarize results from various studies that monitored the timing of inrush and worriedness of radioactive iodine falling from the undercurrent in western North America pursuit the Fukushima disaster in 2011.  Determining the worriedness of 131-I (half life ~8 day) in rain and seaweed, which serves as a biological monitor, is important considering of the isotopes short half life and its propensity to concentrate in the human body, specifically the thyroid gland. This combination of rapid energy release and biological tissue targeting can represent a potential radiological health risk. Measurements of 131-I in rain placid in the San Francisco Bay zone and southern British Columbia, Canada indicate that the atmospheric transport brought contaminated air from Fukushima to North America by March 18 roughly 1 week without the earthquake and tsunami. Depending on location, activities of 131-I in rain peaked between March 20-24 and were observed to subtract to preliminaries levels in the first week of April. Peak activities in seaweed occurred later on March 28 and were observed to return to preliminaries levels in mid-May. Maximum 131-I activities in rain resulting from Fukushima were a factor of 10 lower for rainwater and a factor of 40-80 lower for seaweed compared to similar measurements made pursuit the Chernobyl disaster in 1986. Observed 131-I activities suggest that the upper limit of radiation dose to the public resulting from Fukushima was similarly an order of magnitude lower than that from Chernobyl suggesting that the short and long-term impact on human health in western North America is expected to be minor. How Scientists TalkWell-nighRadioactivity Scientists use a variety of units to measure radioactivity. A wontedly used unit is the Becquerel (Bq for short) which represents an value of radioactive material where one whit decays per second and has units of inverse time (per second). Another unit wontedly used is disintegrations per minute (dpm) where the number of atoms undergoing radioactive waste in one minute are counted (so 1 Bq = 60 dpm). 131-Iodine Releases From Fukushima As a result of the unconfined eastern Japan earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011 three of six reactors melted lanugo resulting in releases of radionuclides from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant to the environment. In terms of wool worriedness released and potential for causing harm to organisms, 131-I (half life ~8 day) was one of the most significant. Given its volatility and the forfeiture to reactor fuel rods large releases of ~2000 PBq (petaBequerel = 10^15 Bq) to the undercurrent and ocean occurred in the weeks pursuit the disaster. Prevailing atmospheric diffusion brought this plume of contaminated air to North America within one half life of 131-I where rain and fallout of vaporizer particles delivered 131-I and other isotopes to land and coastal waters. Monitoring of 131-I in the environment is important considering as an essential nutrient when well-matured in the human soul in the thyroid gland the waste of the isotope can rationalization forfeiture resulting in negative health impacts like cancer.Withoutthe triple meltdowns stations in North America began monitoring the activities of released radionuclides in air, rainwater and seaweed to determine the risk to public health. Rainwater activities of 131-I Rainwater in the San Francisco Bay zone was monitored and the results published in the open-access, peer reviewed periodical PLOSOne in 2011 by Norman and co-workers. Measurements were made for the period March 16-26, 2011 on rainwater placid in Oakland, Berkeley hills and Albany, CA. Results of these measurements are summarized in the icon below:Worriednessconcentrations of 131,132-I, 132-Te, and 134,137-Cs in Bq/L measured in San Francisco Bay zone rain water as a function of time. This first sample with Fukushima radionuclides whilom preliminaries concentrations was placid on March 18 and activities peaked at 16 Bq/L rainwater on March 24. Similar activities and timing of inrush of the atmospheric plume of 131-I were observed in southern British Columbia, Canada. Chester and colleagues published this work in the peer-reviewedPeriodicalof Environmental Radioactivity in 2013. Maximum worriedness of 131-I of 5.8 Bq/L was detected in the Vancouver, BC zone nine days without the Fukushima disaster on March 20, 2011. The worriedness of 131-I returned to preliminaries by early April 2011. Results are summarized in the icon below.Worriednessof 131-I measured in rainwater placid in southwestern British Columbia pursuit the Fukushima disaster in 2011 131-I measured in seaweed 131-I levels in seaweed are known to correlate strongly with levels in rain and seaweeds are useful monitors for human made radionuclides in the environment as the concentrate isotopes from their surroundings and are geographically widespread. Seaweeds were placid withal the Canadian west tailspin by Chester and colleagues and analyzed for 131-I pursuit the Fukushima disaster. Results of these analyses are summarized in the icon below: 131-I activities measured in seaweed placid withal the BC tailspin in 2011. Maximum 131-I was detected in BC seaweed on March 22 near Vancouver and on March 28 off the west tailspin of Vancouver Island some 250 km to the west of the city. Peak activities were 130 and 67 Bq/kg respectively. By mid-May activities had returned to preliminaries activities in the seaweed. Summary: Health Implications and Comparison to Chernobyl The maximum levels of 131-I in rainwater can be compared to limits unliable in drinking water in both the USA and Canada. Maximum activities in rain were in the range ~6-16 Bq/L. For example the maximum mandated concentration (MAC) or worriedness unliable in Canadian drinking water is 6 Bq/L. The MAC for 131-I is calculated using a reference dose level of 0.1 mSv (where mSv = 0.001 Sv) for 1 year’s consumption of drinking water, thesping a consumption of 2 L/day at the MAC. This compares to an constructive dose received by someone living in Vancouver of well-nigh 1.3 mSv. Given the short half-life of 131-I of ~8 days the very dose owing to Fukushima fallout in precipitation is likely to be much lower than the 0.1 mSv upper limit on which the drinking water MAC is based. Indeed, comparing measurements in the studies whilom to measurements made on the west tailspin of North America in the produce of the Chernobyl disaster in 1986 suggests that doses experienced by the public post Fukushima fallout were an order of magnitude lower. Measurements in the same species of seaweed in 1986 (behind paywall) are compared to the measurements of Chester and others here: The calculated dose estimates to Canadians pursuit the Chernobyl disaster were on the order of ~1 micoSievert (0.000001 Sv) (What is a Sievert, Sv?) while the peak 131-I activities present in rainwater without Fukushima suggest an upper dose of 0.1 microSv which is an order of magnitude lower dose. These data have led health professionals in the US and Canada to expect that short-term and longer-term impact of Fukushima on public and environmental health to be very small compared to other radiological impacts from natural and legacy sources of radiation. 131-I134-Cs137-CsAlgaeAtmospheric DepositionBecquerelBiotaBritish ColumbiaChernobylChesterEnvironmental MonitoringHealth RiskKelpNormanRaincoast EducationRainwaterSan FranciscoSeaweed Posts navigation 1 2 Next → View Fukushima-InFORM-257383817784613’s profile on FacebookView @FukushimaInFORM’s profile on TwitterView UCRqxVIr3s5Yc-djXahyBunA’s profile on YouTube Recent Posts Voyage Reflections Friday the 13th was the Luckiest Day Ever Into the Storm Advertisements Funded by Blog at WordPress.com. Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By standing to use this website, you stipulate to their use. To find out more, including how to tenancy cookies, see here: Cookie Policy Post to Cancel