Concentration of 129I in aquatic biota collected from a lake adjacent to the spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in Rokkasho, Japan.
The spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in Rokkasho, Japan, has been undergoing final testing since March 2006. During April 2006-October 2008, that spent fuel was cut and chemically processed, the plant discharged (129)I into the atmosphere and coastal waters. To study (129)I behaviour in brackish Lake Obuchi, which is adjacent to the plant, (129)I concentrations in aquatic biota were measured by accelerator mass spectrometry. Owing to (129)I discharge from the plant, the (129)I concentration in the biota started to rise from the background concentration in 2006 and was high during 2007-08. The (129)I concentration has been rapidly decreasing after the fuel cutting and chemically processing were finished. The (129)I concentration factors in the biota were higher than those reported by IAEA for marine organisms and similar to those reported for freshwater biota. The estimated annual committed effective dose due to ingestion of foods with the maximum (129)I concentration in the biota samples was 2.8 nSv y(-1).
Department of Radioecology, Institute for Environmental Sciences, 1-7 Rokkasho, Aomori 039-3212, Japan sueda@ies.or.jp.
Shinji
S
Ueda
Department of Radioecology, Institute for Environmental Sciences, 1-7 Rokkasho, Aomori 039-3212, Japan.
Hideki
H
Kakiuchi
Department of Radioecology, Institute for Environmental Sciences, 1-7 Rokkasho, Aomori 039-3212, Japan.
Hidenao
H
Hasegawa
Kyushu Environmental Evaluation Association, 1-10-1 Higashi, Fukuoka 813-0004, Japan.
Hidehisa
H
Kawamura
Department of Radioecology, Institute for Environmental Sciences, 1-7 Rokkasho, Aomori 039-3212, Japan.
Shun'ichi
S
Hisamatsu
D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000378:metabolism*; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D007564:Japan; D060106:Lakes / Q000737:chemistry*; D055848:Nuclear Power Plants; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D011850:Radioactive Waste / Q000032:analysis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D059027:Recycling / Q000379:methods; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D011850:Radioactive Waste; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive