Radiocesium distribution in bamboo shoots after the Fukushima nuclear accident.
The distribution of radiocesium was examined in bamboo shoots, Phyllostachys pubescens, collected from 10 sites located some 41 to 1140 km from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, Japan, in the Spring of 2012, 1 year after the Fukushima nuclear accident. Maximum activity concentrations for radiocesium ¹³⁴Cs and ¹³⁷Cs in the edible bamboo shoot parts, 41 km away from the Fukushima Daiichi plant, were in excess of 15.3 and 21.8 kBq/kg (dry weight basis; 1.34 and 1.92 kBq/kg, fresh weight), respectively. In the radiocesium-contaminated samples, the radiocesium activities were higher in the inner tip parts, including the upper edible parts and the apical culm sheath, than in the hardened culm sheath and underground basal parts. The radiocesium/potassium ratios also tended to be higher in the inner tip parts. The radiocesium activities increased with bamboo shoot length in another bamboo species, Phyllostachys bambusoides, suggesting that radiocesium accumulated in the inner tip parts during growth of the shoots.
Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan.
Takumi
T
Higaki
Radioisotope Center, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
Shogo
S
Higaki
Research Center for Human and Environmental Sciences, Shinshu University, Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan.
Masahiro
M
Hirota
Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan; Advanced Measurement and Analysis, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
Seiichiro
S
Hasezawa
D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D005506:Food Contamination; D062406:Fukushima Nuclear Accident; D005843:Geography; D007564:Japan; D055848:Nuclear Power Plants; D006109:Poaceae / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011188:Potassium / Q000737:chemistry; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*
D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive; D011188:Potassium