Radiocesium and 40 K distribution of river sediments and floodplain deposits in the Fukushima exclusion zone

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity
S SomboonM Fukushi

Abstract

In this study, radiocesium and 40K analysis were accomplished for samples of riverbed sediments and floodplain deposits collected from five rivers in the vicinity (<20 km) of the damaged Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant after seven years of the accident. Sediment particle size distribution and major oxide content were determined also for six selected samples to understand the retention and migration process of radiocesium in river environments. The radiocesium activity concentration varied from 103 ± 6 Bq·kg-1 to 22,000 ± 500 Bq·kg-1 in riverbed sediments and from 92 ± 5 Bq·kg-1 to 117,000 ± 2000 Bq·kg-1 in floodplain deposits. The 134Cs/137Cs ratio (decay corrected to 15 March 2011) was 1.02 in the both samples. Compared to monitoring results in 2011, it was proved that the radiocesium distribution pattern had been changed remarkably during seven years. The radiocesium was primarily attached to fine clay particles but its sorption on sand and coarse sand particles was also considerable. The sorption process of radiocesium was not affected by the presence of water and moreover, after seven years of the Fukushima accident, a significant radiocesium migration cannot be expected without particle migration. Consequently, radio...Continue Reading

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