Changes in radiocesium concentration in a blueberry (Vaccinium virgatum Aiton) orchard resulting from radioactive fallout

Abstract

We investigated changes in the radiocesium concentration in a blueberry (Vaccinium virgatum Aiton) orchard in Fukushima prefecture to clarify the radiocesium contamination for 3 years after the Tokyo Electric Power Company’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident occurred in mid-March 2011. In the aboveground part of blueberry bushes, the concentrations of radiocesium in branches that were directly affected by radioactive fallout were the highest among the samples investigated, and the concentrations in fruits were the lowest. The concentration of radiocesium decreased exponentially in the fruits and leaves over 3 years. The radiocesium concentrations in soils were higher in the surface layer. The amount of radiocesium in organic matter on the soil surface under the canopy greatly decreased from 2011 to 2012. The transfer factor of the radiocesium from soil to blueberry fruits decreased annually. These results suggest that radiocesium adhered directly to the aboveground organs of blueberry bushes in March 2011, and it is possible that the accumulation of radiocesium in fruits is mainly due to radiocesium transfer from the branches and trunk to fruits for several years after the nuclear power plant accident.