The determination of Fukushima-derived cesium-134 and cesium-137 in Japanese green tea samples and their distribution subsequent to simulated beverage preparation

Abstract

Health Canada's Radiation Protection Bureau has identified trace quantities of 134Cs and 137Cs in commercially available green tea products of Japanese origin. Referenced to March 11, 2011, the activity ratio (134Cs/137Cs) has been determined to be 1:1, which supports an origin from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. The upper limits of typical tea beverage preparation conditions were applied to the most contaminated of these green tea samples to determine the proportion of radiocesium contamination that would be available for human consumption. The distribution of radiocesium among the components of the extraction experiments (water, residual tea solid, and filter media) was determined by both conventional and Compton-suppressed gamma spectroscopy. The latter aided tremendously in providing a more complete radiocesium distribution profile, particularly for the shorter-lived 134Cs. Cesium extraction efficiencies of 64 ± 7% and 64 ± 5% were determined based on 134Cs and 137Cs, respectively. Annual, effective dose estimates from ingestion of 137Cs and 134Cs (1.8–3.7 μSv), arising from the consumption of tea beverages prepared from the most contaminated of these samples, are insignificant relative to both total (∼2.4 mSv) and ingested (∼0.28 mSv) annual effective doses received from naturally occurring radioactive sources. As such, there is no health concern arising from the consumption of green tea beverages contaminated with radiocesium at the levels encountered in this study.