Abstract
Cumulative dose of external and internal exposures following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) accident was estimated for Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) around FNPP. Conversion factors for Japanese macaques modeled as ellipsoids were estimated for external exposure from contaminated ground and internal exposure uniformly distributed in the body. Conversion factors for seven radionuclides, namely, tellurium-129 (129Te), 129mTe, iodine-131 (131I), 132Te, 132I, cesium-134 (134Cs) and 137Cs were calculated using the PHITS code. The estimated factors for the seven radionuclides were consistent with those in ICRP Publication 108, using an effective radius for comparison. The external, internal and total exposures for 13 macaques in Namie Town were estimated by applying the calculated factors. The estimated cumulative exposures for the periods from the accident occurred to the sampling date, ranged from 0.26 to 1.6 Gy. The average exposure was 0.64 Gy in averaged over the 11 sampled macaques except for the 2 macaques which might be born after the FNPP accident.
Highlights
The nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) was triggered by an enormous earthquake and associated tsunami on March 11, 2011
If we allow for 20% uncertainty, the conversion factor in International Commission of Radiological Protection (ICRP) Publication 108 for the effective radius can be used
The cumulative external and internal exposures attributed to the FNPP accident were estimated for Japanese macaques around FNPP
Summary
The nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) was triggered by an enormous earthquake and associated tsunami (the Great East Japan Earthquake) on March 11, 2011. A large quantity of radioactive nuclides were released, resulting in the severe contamination of a wide area of the southern Tohoku region to the northern Kanto region. Many studies have examined the effect of radiation on animals, insects and plants [3–8]. Cumulative exposure in animals is quite difficult to estimate because it is challenging to account for habitat and behavioral properties. Estimates of exposure could be improved using a contamination map combined with habitat information. Dose rate and its temporal changes can be estimated for target animals in an area from the contamination map
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