Radiocaesium transfer and radiation exposure of frogs in Fukushima Prefecture

Tagami, Keiko; Uchida, Shigeo; Wood, Michael D.; Beresford, Nicholas A.. 2018 Radiocaesium transfer and radiation exposure of frogs in Fukushima Prefecture. Scientific Reports, 8, 10662. 11, pp. 10.1038/s41598-018-28866-0

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Abstract/Summary

The International Commission on Radiological Protection has proposed an environmental assessment framework. This includes ionising radiation exposure assessment for different frog life-stages, but radiocaesium transfer parameters are unavailable. We collate data from the Fukushima Prefecture (contaminated by the Fukushima accident) and estimate radiocaesium concentration ratio (CRwo-water) values for tadpoles and adult frogs, presenting the largest available amphibian CRwo-water dataset. In total, 513 adult frogs and 2540 tadpoles were analysed in 62 and 59 composite samples respectively. Results suggest that equilibrium was reached between water and amphibian radiocaesium activity concentrations circa one-year after the accident. Radiocaesium transfer to tadpoles was higher than to adult frogs. Dose rates were estimated for different life-stages and species in both the aquatic and terrestrial environment. Estimated dose rates to adults and tadpoles were typically similar because external exposure dominated for both organisms; frogspawn dose rates were estimated to be orders of magnitude lower than other life-stages. For the two sites assessed, which were outside of the most contaminated areas of the Fukushima Prefecture, estimated dose rates were below those anticipated to present a risk to wildlife populations; it is likely that dose rates in more contaminated areas were in excess of some effects benchmark values.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1038/s41598-018-28866-0
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Pollution (Science Area 2017-)
ISSN:	2045-2322
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.
Additional Keywords:	radioecology, element cycles, environmental impact, pollution remediation
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment
Date made live:	17 Jul 2018 16:24 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/520549

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