Fukushima fallout at Milano, Italy.
The radionuclides (131)I, (137)Cs and (134)Cs were observed in the Milano region (45°) of Italy early after the nuclear accident in Fukushima, Japan. Increased atmospheric radioactivity was observed on an air filter taken on 30 March 2011, while the maximum activity of 467 μBq m(-3) for (131)I was recorded at April 3-4, 2011. The first evidence of Fukushima fallout was confirmed with (131)I and (137)Cs measured in precipitation at two sampling sites at Milano on 28 March, 2011, with the concentrations of (131)I and (137)Cs in the rainwater equal to 0.89 Bq L(-1) and 0.12 Bq L(-1), respectively. A sample of dry deposition that was collected 9 days after the first rainfall event of 27-28 March, 2011 showed that the dry deposition was more effective in the case of (137)Cs than it was for (131)I, probably because iodine was mainly in gaseous form whereas caesium was rapidly bound to aerosols and thus highly subject to dry deposition. The relatively high observed values of (137)Cs in grass, soil and fresh goat and cow milk samples were probably from Chernobyl fallout and global fallout from past nuclear tests rather than from the Fukushima accident. Finally, a dose assessment for the region of investigation showed clearly that the detected activities in all environmental samples were very far below levels of concern.
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Physics Department, Nuclear Physics & Elementary Particle Physics Division, Thessaloniki 54124, Greece. anta@physics.auth.gr
Alexandra
A
Ioannidou
Simone
S
Manenti
Luigi
L
Gini
Flavia
F
Groppi
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D005507:Food Contamination, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D062406:Fukushima Nuclear Accident; D006041:Goats; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D007558:Italy; D007564:Japan; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry; D006109:Poaceae / Q000737:chemistry; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D011848:Radioactive Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D011891:Rain / Q000737:chemistry; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012914:Snow / Q000737:chemistry; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis
D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D011848:Radioactive Pollutants; D012987:Soil