Developmental and hemocytological effects of ingesting Fukushima\u2019s radiocesium on the cabbage white butterfly Pieris rapae

Wataru Taira,Joji M Otaki,Mariko Toki,Keisuke Kakinohana,Ko Sakauchi

doi:10.1038/s41598-018-37325-9

Wataru Taira, Joji M Otaki + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-37325-9

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Journal: Scientific Reports	Publication Date: Feb 22, 2019
Citations: 14	License type: open-access

Affiliation: University of the Ryukyus

Abstract

High morphological abnormality and mortality rates have been reported in the pale grass blue butterfly, Zizeeria maha, since the Fukushima nuclear accident. However, it remains uncertain if these effects are restricted to this butterfly. Here, we evaluated the effects of ingesting cabbage leaves grown with contaminated soils from Fukushima on the development and hemocytes of the cabbage white butterfly, Pieris rapae. Contaminated cabbage leaves containing various low levels of anthropogenic 134Cs and 137Cs radioactivity (less than natural 40K radioactivity) were fed to larvae from Okinawa, the least contaminated locality in Japan. Negative developmental and morphological effects were detected in the experimental groups. The cesium (but not potassium) radioactivity concentration was negatively correlated with the granulocyte percentage in hemolymph, and the granulocyte percentage was positively correlated with the pupal eclosion rate, the adult achievement rate, and the total normality rate. These results demonstrated that ingesting low-level radiocesium contaminants in Fukushima (but not natural radiopotassium) imposed biologically negative effects on the cabbage white butterfly, as in the pale grass blue butterfly, at both cellular and organismal levels.

Highlights

Information on the biological impacts of ionizing radiation has been gathered for nearly a century since the discovery of X-ray-induced mutations by Hermann J
Radioactivity concentrations of 40K in cabbage leaves did not vary much among the 4 locality groups (Fig. 1g), but the radiopotassium levels were higher than the radiocesium levels with the exception of the Iitate group
Our experimental strategy was to feed contaminated cabbage leaves that were cultivated in Fukushima to the larvae of the cabbage white butterfly from Okinawa

Summary

Introduction

Information on the biological impacts of ionizing radiation has been gathered for nearly a century since the discovery of X-ray-induced mutations by Hermann J. The contaminated leaves were fed to larvae of the cabbage white butterfly, which were obtained from females that were caught in Okinawa, the least contaminated locality in Japan (Fig. 1d,e).

Results

Conclusion