Radioactive particles released to the environment from the Fukushima reactors-Confirmation is still needed.
After severe nuclear events, a major fraction of refractory radionuclides such as U and Pu are released to the environment in the form of radioactive particles. After the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident, Pu isotope ratio signals different from that of global fallout have been reported, indicating that spent fuel particles have been released from the reactors or reactor vessels. Radioactive particles containing (37) Cs and other volatile radionuclides, as well as a series of stable refractory metals (Cs, Fe, Zn, U, etc.), have been identified by several authors claiming that these particles originated from the FDNPP fuel. If so, long-lived radioactive isotopes of the refractory metals should have been identified in these particles. It is therefore most probable that volatile radionuclides released as gases during the accidents have deposited on available surfaces such as fly ash, forming condensation particles during release or transport. If spent fuel particles have been deposited in the FDNPP surroundings, information on particle characteristics influencing ecosystem transport, uptake, and effects is essential for assessing environmental impact and risk. More emphasis should therefore be put on the identification of hot spots in the FDNPP environment followed by the characterization of radioactive particles using nanoanalytical-microanalytical techniques to support environmental monitoring, as recommended in the present study. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2016;12:687-689. © 2016 SETAC.
CERAD CoE/Department of Environmental Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway. brit.salbu@nmbu.no.
Brit
B
Salbu
CERAD CoE/Department of Environmental Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.
Ole Christian
OC
Lind
D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D062406:Fukushima Nuclear Accident; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis*; D011834:Radiation Monitoring
D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive; D052638:Particulate Matter
Nuclear accidents; Particle characterization techniques; Radioactive particles