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Comparison of radioactive cesium contamination of lake water, bottom sediment, plankton, and freshwater fish among lakes of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan after the Fukushima fallout

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Abstract

Levels of radiocesium (134Cs + 137Cs) contamination in lake water, bottom sediment, plankton, and fish were investigated in three geographically separated lakes in Fukushima Prefecture (Lake Hayama, Lake Akimoto, and Lake Tagokura) between June 2012 and November 2013. Levels of contamination differed among the three lakes, with the highest levels of each measured component in Lake Hayama, followed by Lake Akimoto, and the least contamination in Lake Tagokura. Among the lakes, the magnitude of contamination decreased with distance from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant. Mean radiocesium concentrations were higher in piscivorous fish than in other fish, possibly reflecting differences in trophic level. The radiocesium concentrations in some fish species decreased significantly by 33–65 % during the period between 2012 and 2013. Radiocesium concentrations of the lake water, bottom sediment, plankton, and fish were significantly correlated with surface soil radiocesium content near lake sites.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Lake Hayama, Akimoto, and Tagokura Fishermen’s Cooperatives for collecting fish samples. We thank Dr. K. Nakata for helpful suggestions and M. Murakami, T. Okazaki, Y. Watanuki, and M. Yoshida for their assistance with sample assays and data analyses. This study was supported by the Fisheries Agency, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, Japan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Research Institute of Aquaculture, Fisheries Research Agency, Nikko, Tochigi, 321-1661, Japan

    Keishi Matsuda, Kaori Takagi, Jun-ichi Tsuboi & Shoichiro Yamamoto

  2. Fukushima Prefectural Fisheries Experimental Station, Iwaki, Fukushima, 970-0316, Japan

    Atsushi Tomiya & Masahiro Enomoto

  3. National Research Institute of Fisheries Science, Fisheries Research Agency, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 236-8648, Japan

    Hideki Kaeriyama, Daisuke Ambe, Ken Fujimoto, Tsuneo Ono & Takami Morita

  4. Fisheries Research Agency, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 220-6115, Japan

    Kazuo Uchida

Authors
  1. Keishi Matsuda
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  2. Kaori Takagi
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  3. Atsushi Tomiya
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  4. Masahiro Enomoto
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  5. Jun-ichi Tsuboi
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  6. Hideki Kaeriyama
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  7. Daisuke Ambe
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  8. Ken Fujimoto
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  9. Tsuneo Ono
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  10. Kazuo Uchida
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  11. Takami Morita
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  12. Shoichiro Yamamoto
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Correspondence to Keishi Matsuda.

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Matsuda, K., Takagi, K., Tomiya, A. et al. Comparison of radioactive cesium contamination of lake water, bottom sediment, plankton, and freshwater fish among lakes of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan after the Fukushima fallout. Fish Sci 81, 737–747 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12562-015-0874-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12562-015-0874-7

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