title: Distribution of radioactive cesium and stable cesium in cattle kept on a highly contaminated area of Fukushima nuclear accident.
abstract: Radioactivity inspection of slaughtered cattle is generally conducted using a portion of the neck muscle; however, there is limited information about the distribution of radioactive cesium in cattle. In this study, therefore, we measured not only radioactive cesium but also stable cesium in various tissues of 19 cattle that had been kept in the area highly contaminated by the Fukushima nuclear accident. Skeletal muscles showed approximately 1.5-3.0 times higher concentration of radioactive cesium than internal organs. Radioactive cesium concentration in the tenderloin and top round was about 1.2 times as high as that in the neck muscle. The kidney showed the highest concentration of radioactive cesium among internal organs, whereas the liver was lowest. Radioactive cesium concentration in the blood was about 8% of that in the neck muscle. Characteristics of stable cesium distribution were almost the same as those of radioactive cesium. Correlation coefficient between radioactive cesium and stable cesium in tissues of individual cattle was 0.981 ± 0.012. When a suspicious level near 100 Bq/kg is detected in the neck of slaughtered cattle, re-inspection should be conducted using a different region of muscle, for example top round, to prevent marketing of beef that violates the Food Sanitation Act.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, Morioka, Japan.
authors.forename: Itaru
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, Morioka, Japan.
authors.forename: Keiji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, Morioka, Japan.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, Morioka, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chida
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, Morioka, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Satoh
authors.affiliation: Tanko District Agricultural Mutual Aid Association, Oshu.
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miura
authors.affiliation: Tanko District Agricultural Mutual Aid Association, Oshu.
authors.forename: Kaoru
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.affiliation: NTT Advertising Inc., Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kumiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Otani
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Osaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Shusuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sato
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000378:metabolism*; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005507:Food Contamination, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005513:Food Inspection; D062406:Fukushima Nuclear Accident; D008297:Male; D011847:Radioactive Fallout / Q000032:analysis*; D000069466:Red Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D011847:Radioactive Fallout
keywords: cattle; cesium; distribution; radioactive contamination