Radioactive contamination of arthropods from different trophic levels in hilly and mountainous areas after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident. (November 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tanaka, Sota; Hatakeyama, Kaho; Takahashi, Sentaro; Adati, Tarô
• Is Part Of: Journal of environmental radioactivity. Volume 164(2016:Nov.)
• Page Start: 104
• Page End: 112
• Publication Date: 2016-11
• Subjects: Nuclear power plant accident -- Radiocesium -- Trophic level -- Grasshopper -- Cricket -- Spider; Radioactivity -- Periodicals; Radiation, Background -- Periodicals; Radioecology -- Periodicals; Radioactive pollution -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollutants -- Periodicals; Radioactive Pollutants -- Periodicals; Radioactivity -- Periodicals; Radioécologie -- Périodiques; Pollution radioactive -- Périodiques; Fond de rayonnement -- Périodiques; 539.752
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2016.07.017
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0265-931X

Abstract

Abstract: In order to understand the influence of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident on the ecosystem in hilly and mountainous areas of Fukushima Prefecture, chronological changes in the levels of radiocesium in arthropod species were investigated. From 2012 to 2014, arthropods from different trophic levels were sampled and the air radiation dose rates at the sampling sites were analyzed. The air radiation dose rates showed a significant and constant reduction over the 2 years at the sampling sites in Fukushima. The median radiocesium concentration ( 134 Cs + 137 Cs) detected in the rice grasshopper, Oxya yezoensis, and the Emma field cricket, Teleogryllus emma, dropped continuously to 0.080 and 0.078 Bq/g fresh weight, respectively, in 2014. In contrast, no significant reduction in radioactive contamination was observed in the Jorô spider, Nephila clavata, in which the level remained at 0.204 Bq/g in 2014. A significant positive correlation between radiocesium concentration and the air radiation dose rate was observed in the rice grasshopper, the Emma field cricket and the Jorô spider. The highest correlation coefficient ( ρ = 0.946) was measured in the grasshopper. Highlights: Radiocesium was detected from arthropods in Fukushima after the FDNPP accident. Constant annual reduction of radiocesium was observed in grasshoppers and crickets. Radiocesium concentration was fluctuated annually in spiders. Significant correlation was seen between radiocesium in arthropods and air radiation.