Abstract
ObjectivesFollowing the massive earthquake that struck eastern Japan on March 11, 2011, a large amount of radioactive material was released into the environment from the damaged reactor of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP). After the FDNPP accident, radiocaesium was first detected in muscle samples from wild Japanese monkeys exposed to radioactive materials, and haematologic effects, changes in head size, and delayed body weight gain were also reported, but little is known about the distribution of 137Cs in the organs and tissues of wild Japanese monkeys.ResultsWe detected the 137Cs in various organ and tissue samples of 10 wild Japanese monkeys inhabiting the forested areas of Fukushima City that were captured between July and August 2012. Among muscle, brain, heart, kidney, liver, lung, and spleen, muscle exhibited the highest and the brain the lowest 137Cs concentration. The concentration (mean ± SD) of 137Cs in muscle, brain, heart, kidney, liver, lung, and spleen was 77 ± 66, 26 ± 22, 41 ± 35, 49 ± 41, 41 ± 38, 53 ± 41, and 53 ± 51 Bq/kg, respectively. These results can help us understand the biological effects of long-term internal radiation exposure in non-human primates.
Highlights
Following the massive earthquake that struck eastern Japan on March 11, 2011, a large amount of radioactive material was released into the environment from the damaged reactor of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) [1–4]
We began a research project in 2011 to examine the health effects of long-term radiation exposure on wild Japanese monkeys inhabiting the forested areas surrounding Fukushima City, which is located 70 km from the FDNPP, and we anticipate that our findings will provide valuable data and insights
Materials and methods Animals Samples of muscle, brain, heart, kidney, liver, lung, and spleen were collected from 10 Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata) captured between July and August 2012 from the forested areas around Fukushima City
Summary
We detected the 137Cs in various organ and tissue samples of 10 wild Japanese monkeys inhabiting the for‐ ested areas of Fukushima City that were captured between July and August 2012. Brain, heart, kidney, liver, lung, and spleen, muscle exhibited the highest and the brain the lowest 137Cs concentration. The concentra‐ tion (mean ± SD) of 137Cs in muscle, brain, heart, kidney, liver, lung, and spleen was 77 ± 66, 26 ± 22, 41 ± 35, 49 ± 41, 41 ± 38, 53 ± 41, and 53 ± 51 Bq/kg, respectively. These results can help us understand the biological effects of longterm internal radiation exposure in non-human primates
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