Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Fukushima-derived radionuclides 134Cs and 137Cs in zooplankton and seawater samples collected off the Joban-Sanriku coast, in Sendai Bay, and in the Oyashio region

  • Original Article
  • Environment
  • Published:
Fisheries Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant (FNPP) accident that followed the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 resulted in the release of enormous quantities of anthropogenic radionuclides, especially radioactive cesium (134Cs and 137Cs) into the ocean off the east coast of Japan. FNPP-derived radioactive Cs may have consequently accumulated within marine food webs via seawater intake and predator–prey interactions. We provide evidence of the temporal variability in 134Cs and 137Cs concentrations in seawater and zooplankton samples collected in coastal waters off Joban-Sanriku, in Sendai Bay, and in the Oyashio region between June 2011 and December 2013. In Sendai Bay, seawater 134Cs and 137Cs concentrations exceeded 1 Bq/kg in June 2011 and rapidly decreased during the study period. 134Cs and 137Cs concentrations in zooplankton were also high in June 2011, up to 23 Bq/kg-wet and also decreased during the study period, although at a slower rate than seawater 134Cs and 137Cs concentrations. Regarding 137Cs concentrations, the difference in the rate of decrease between seawater and zooplankton resulted in a high apparent concentration ratio (aCR) for zooplankton. The observed relation between 137Cs in seawater and the aCR of zooplankton were good indicators of the progress of 137Cs contamination in zooplankton from the beginning of the FNPP accident to the restoration phase.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3.
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Chino M, Nakayama H, Nagai H, Terada H, Katata G, Yamazawa H (2011) Preliminary estimation of release amounts of 131I and 137Cs accidentally discharged from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the atmosphere. J Nucl Sci Technol 48:1129–1134

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Buesseler KO, Aoyama M, Fukasawa M (2011) Impacts of the Fukushima nuclear power plants on marin radioactivity. Environ Sci Technol 45:9931–9935

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Aoyama M, Tsumune D, Hamajima Y (2013) Impacts of the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident. J Radio Anal Nucl Chem 296:535–539

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Aoyama M, Uematsu M, Tsumune D, Hamajima Y (2013) Surface pathway of radioactive plume of TEPCO Fukushima NPP1 released 134Cs and 137Cs. Biogeosciences 10:3067–3078

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Kaeriyama H, Ambe D, Shimizu Y, Fujimoto K, Ono T, Yonezaki S, Kato Y, Matsunaga H, Minami H, Nakatsuka S, Watanabe T (2013) Direct observation of 134Cs and 137Cs in the western and central North Pacific after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. Biogeosciences 10:4287–7295

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Oikawa S, Takata H, Watabe T, Misono J, Kusakabe M (2013) Distribution of the Fukushima-derived radionuclides in seawater in the Pacific coast of Miyagi, Fukushima and Ibaraki Prefectures, Japan. Biogeosciences 10:5031–8047

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Tsumune D, Tsubono T, Aoyama M, Hirose K (2012) Distribution of oceanic 137Cs from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant simulated numerically by a regional ocean model. J Environ Radioact 111:100–108

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Rypina II, Jayne SR, Yoshida S, Macdonald AM, Douglass E, Buesseler KO (2013) Short-term dispersal of Fukushima-derived radionuclides off Japan: modelling efforts and model-data intercomparison. Biogeosciences 10:4793–4990

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Kobayashi T, Nagai H, Chino M, Kawamura H (2013) Source term estimation of atmospheric and oceanic dispersion simulations. J Nucl Sci Technol 50:255–264

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Kaeriyama H, Shimizu Y, Ambe D, Masujima M, Shigenobu Y, Fujimoto K, Ono T, Nishiuchi K, Taneda T, Kurogi H, Setou T, Sugisaki H, Ichikawa T, Hidaka K, Hiroe Y, Kusaka A, Kodama T, Kuriyama M, Morita H, Nakata K, Morinaga K, Morita T, Watanabe T (2014) Southwest intrusion of 134Cs and 137Cs derived from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in the western North Pacific. Environ Sci Technol 48:3120–3127

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Kumamoto Y, Aoyama M, Hamajima Y, Aono T, Kouketsu S, Murata A, Kawano T (2014) Southward spreading of the Fukushiam-derived radiocesium across the Kuroshio Extension in the North Pacific. Sci Rep 4:4276

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Wada T, Nemoto Y, Shimamura S, Fujita T, Mizuno T, Sohtome T, Kamiyama K, Morita T, Igarashi S (2013) Effects of the nuclear disaster on marin products in Fukushima. J Environ Radioact 124:246–254

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Iwata K, Tagami K, Uchida S (2013) Ecological half-lives of radiocesium in 16 species in marine biota after the TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. Environ Sci Technol 47:7696–7703

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Buesseler KO (2012) Fishing for answers off Fukushima. Science 338:480–482

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Kusakabe M, Oikawa S, Takata H, Misono J (2013) Spatiotemporal distributions of Fukushima-derived radionuclides nearby marine surface sediments. Biogeosciences 10:5019–5030

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Yoshida N, Kanda J (2012) Tracking the Fukushima radionuclides. Science 336:1115–1116

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Buesseler KO, Jayne SR, Fisher NS, Rypina II, Baumann H, Baumann Z, Brier CF, Douglass EM, George J, Macdonald AM, Miyamoto H, Nishikawa J, Pike SM, Yoshida S (2012) Fukushim-derived radionuclides in the ocean and biota off Japan. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 109:5984–5988

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Kitamura M, Kumamoto Y, Kawakami H, Cruz EC, Fujioka K (2013) Horizontal distribution of Fukushima-derived radiocesium in zooplankton in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Biogeosciences 10:5729–5738

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Kaeriyama H, Watabe T, Kusakabe M (2008) 137Cs concentration in zooplankton and its relation to taxonomic composition in the western North Pacific Ocean. J Environ Radioact 99:1838–1845

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Tateda Y (1998) Concentration factor of 137Cs for zooplankton collected from the Misaki coastal water. Fish Sci 64:176–177

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. IAEA (2004) Sediment distribution coefficients and concentration factors for biota in the marine environment. Technical Reports Series No. 422. IAEA, Vienna

  22. Tagami K, Uchida S (2013) Marine and freshwater concentration ratios (CRwo-water): review of Japanese data. J Environ Radioact 126:420–426

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Howard BJ, Beresford NA, Copplestone D, Telleria D, Proehl F, Fesenko S, Jeffree RA, Yankovich TL, Brown JE, Higley K, Johansen MP, Mulye H, Vandenhove H, Gashchak S, Wood MD, Takata H, Andersson P, Dale P, Ryan J, Bollhofer A, Doering C, Barnett CL, Wells C (2013) The IAEA handbook on radionuclide transfer to wildlife. J Environ Radioact 121:55–74

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Kaeriyama H, Ambe D, Shigenobu Y, Fujimoto K, Ono T, Nakata K, Morita T, Watanabe T (2014) 134Cs and 137Cs in seawater around Japan after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. Umino-kenkyu 23:127–146 (Japanese with English abstract)

  25. Hirose K, Aoyama M (2003) Present background levels of surface 137Cs and 239, 240Pu concentrations in the Pacific. J Environ Radioact 69:53–60

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Kakehi S, Ito S, Yagi H, Wagawa T (2012) Estimation of the residence time of fresh and brackish water in Sendai Bay. J Jpn Soc Civil Eng B Hydaulic Coast Environ Eng 68:951–955 (in Japanese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  27. Tateda Y, Koyanagi T (1996) Concentration factors for 137Cs in Japanese coastal fish (1984–1990). J Radiat Res 37:71–79

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Tateda Y, Koyanagi T (1994) Concentration factors for 137Cs in marine algae from Japanese coastal waters. J Radiat Res 35:213–221

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Kaeriyama H, Watabe T, Kusakabe M (2008) The concentration of 137Cs and stable Cs in zooplankton in the western North Pacific in relation to their taxonomic composition. In: Proc 16th Pacific Basin Nuclear Conference. Paper ID P16P1197. Aomori, Japan

  30. Masuzawa T, Koyama M, Terazaki M (1988) A regularity in trace element contents of marine zooplankton species. Mar Biol 97:587–591

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Marumo K, Ishii T, Ishikawa Y, Ueda T (1998) Concentration of elements in marine zooplankton from coastal waters of Boso Peninsula, Japan. Fish Sci 64:185–190

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Nagao S, Kanamori M, Ochiai S, Tomihira S, Fukushi K, Yamamoto M (2013) Export of 134Cs and 137Cs in the Fukushima river systems at heavy rains by Typhoon Roke in September 2011. Biogeosciences 10:6215–6223

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Kanda J (2013) Continuing 137Cs release to the sea from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant through 2012. Biogeosciences 10:6107–6113

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Vives i Batlle J, Wilson RC, McDonald P (2007) Allometric methodology for the calculation of biokinetic parameters for marine biota. Sci Total Environ 388:256–269

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Fowler SW, Buat-Menard P, Yokoyama Y, Ballestra S, van Holm E, Nguyen H (1987) Rapid removal of Chernobyl fallout from Mediterranean surface waters by biological activity. Nature 329:56–58

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Meguro K, Nashida K, Mitani T, Nishida H, Kawabata A (2002) Distribution and migration of adult of chub mackerel and spotted mackerel. Kaiyo Mon 34:256–260 (in Japanese)

    Google Scholar 

  37. Kosaka M (1969) Ecology of the common sea bass, Lateolabrax japonicus in Sendai Bay. J Coll Mar Sci Technol Tokai Univ 3:67–85 (in Japanese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the captains and crew of the R/V Soyo-maru and R/V Wakataka-maru (Fisheries Research Agency) for their support during the sampling. We also thank Yoshika Tennichi of Kyushu Environmental Evaluation Association for help with the measurement of stable Cs. This study was supported by the Fisheries Agency, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Shin-ichi Ito

    Present address: Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwano-ha, Kashiwa City, Chiba, 277-8564, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Center for Fisheries Oceanography and Marine Ecosystem, National Research Institute of Fisheries Sciences, Fisheries Research Agency, 2-12-4 Fukuura, Kanazawa, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 236-8648, Japan

    Hideki Kaeriyama, Ken Fujimoto, Daisuke Ambe, Yuya Shigenobu, Tsuneo Ono & Tomowo Watanabe

  2. Fisheries Management and Oceanography Division, Tohoku National Fisheries Research Institute, Fisheries Research Agency, 3-27-5 Shinhama-cho, Shiogama City, Miyagi, 985-0001, Japan

    Kazuaki Tadokoro, Yuji Okazaki, Shigeho Kakehi & Shin-ichi Ito

  3. Fisheries Management and Oceanography Division, Tohoku National Fisheries Research Institute, Fisheries Research Agency, 25-259 Shimomekurakubo, Samemachi, Hachinohe, 031-0841, Aomori, Japan

    Yoji Narimatsu

  4. Headquarters Research Management Department, Fisheries Research Agency, 2-3-3 Minato Mirai, Nishi-kum, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 220-6115, Japan

    Kaoru Nakata & Takami Morita

Authors
  1. Hideki Kaeriyama
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ken Fujimoto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Daisuke Ambe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yuya Shigenobu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Tsuneo Ono
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Kazuaki Tadokoro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Yuji Okazaki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Shigeho Kakehi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Shin-ichi Ito
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Yoji Narimatsu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Kaoru Nakata
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. Takami Morita
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  13. Tomowo Watanabe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hideki Kaeriyama.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (XLSX 77 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kaeriyama, H., Fujimoto, K., Ambe, D. et al. Fukushima-derived radionuclides 134Cs and 137Cs in zooplankton and seawater samples collected off the Joban-Sanriku coast, in Sendai Bay, and in the Oyashio region. Fish Sci 81, 139–153 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12562-014-0827-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12562-014-0827-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation