The impact of the Fukushima nuclear accident on marine biota: retrospective assessment of the first year and perspectives.
An international study under the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) was performed to assess radiological impact of the nuclear accident at the Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) on the marine environment. This work constitutes the first international assessment of this type, drawing upon methodologies that incorporate the most up-to-date radioecological models and knowledge. To quantify the radiological impact on marine wildlife, a suite of state-of-the-art approaches to assess exposures to Fukushima derived radionuclides of marine biota, including predictive dynamic transfer modelling, was applied to a comprehensive dataset consisting of over 500 sediment, 6000 seawater and 5000 biota data points representative of the geographically relevant area during the first year after the accident. The dataset covers the period from May 2011 to August 2012. The method used to evaluate the ecological impact consists of comparing dose (rates) to which living species of interest are exposed during a defined period to critical effects values arising from the literature. The assessed doses follow a highly variable pattern and generally do not seem to indicate the potential for effects. A possible exception of a transient nature is the relatively contaminated area in the vicinity of the discharge point, where effects on sensitive endpoints in individual plants and animals might have occurred in the weeks directly following the accident. However, impacts on population integrity would have been unlikely due to the short duration and the limited space area of the initially high exposures. Our understanding of the biological impact of radiation on chronically exposed plants and animals continues to evolve, and still needs to be improved through future studies in the FDNPS marine environment.
Biosphere Impact Studies Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK•CEN, Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium. Electronic address: jordi.vives.i.batlle@sckcen.be.
Jordi
J
Vives I Batlle
National Institute of Radiological Sciences, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555, Japan.
Tatsuo
T
Aono
Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, Grini næringspark 13, 1332 Østerås, Norway; CERAD Centre of Excellence, Grini næringspark 13, 1332 Østerås, Norway.
Justin E
JE
Brown
Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, Grini næringspark 13, 1332 Østerås, Norway; CERAD Centre of Excellence, Grini næringspark 13, 1332 Østerås, Norway.
Ali
A
Hosseini
Institute for Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety, Department for research and expertise in environmental risks, PRP-ENV/SERIS, Cadarache, Building 159, 13115 Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance Cedex, France.
Jacqueline
J
Garnier-Laplace
State Institution Research and Production Association Typhoon, 4 Pobedy Str., Obninsk, Kaluga Region 249038, Russian Federation.
Tatiana
T
Sazykina
Arctic Centre, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.
Frits
F
Steenhuisen
Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, Grini næringspark 13, 1332 Østerås, Norway; CERAD Centre of Excellence, Grini næringspark 13, 1332 Østerås, Norway.
Per
P
Strand
D000818:Animals; D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D058448:Biota; D062406:Fukushima Nuclear Accident; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000378:metabolism*
D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive
Fukushima; Non-human biota; Radiological assessment; UNSCEAR