Relationship between particle size and radiocesium in fluvial suspended sediment related to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry volume 301, pages607–613(2014)Cite this article

Abstract

We collected fluvial suspended sediments in Fukushima after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident and analyzed the 137Cs concentration in bulk and size-fractioned samples to investigate the particle-size-dependent distribution of radiocesium. The 137Cs concentration in bulk suspended sediments decreased from August to December 2011, possibly reflecting a decrease of radiocesium concentration in its source materials. Smaller particles had higher radiocesium concentrations, reflecting larger specific surface areas. Silt- and sand-size fractions occupied more than 95 % of the total 137Cs in the suspended sediments. The contribution of clay-size fractions, which had the highest 137Cs concentration, was quite small because of their low frequency. A line of the data showed that the particle size distribution of radiocesium was essential to evaluate the migration and distribution of radiocesium in river systems where radiocesium is mainly present as particulate form after the FDNPP accident.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

References

  1. 1.

    Chino M, Nakayama H, Nagai H, Terada H, Katata G, Yamazawa H (2011) J Nucl Sci Technol 48:1129–1134

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  2. 2.

    Kinoshita N, Sueki K, Sasa K, Kitagawa J, Ikarashi S, Nishimura T, Wong Y, Satou Y, Handa K, Takahashi T, Sato M, Yamagata T (2011) PNAS 108:19526–19529

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  3. 3.

    Endo S, Kimura S, Takatsuji T, Nanasawa K, Imanaka T, Shizuma K (2012) J Environ Radioact 111:18–27

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  4. 4.

    Honda MC, Aono T, Aoyama M, Hamajima Y, Kawakami H, Kitamura M, Masumoto Y, Miyazawa Y, Takigawa M, Saino T (2012) Geochem J 46:e1–e9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. 5.

    Kanai Y (2012) J Environ Radioact 111:33–37

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  6. 6.

    Yoshida N, Takahashi Y (2012) Elements 8:201–206

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  7. 7.

    MEXT (2013) Available at: http://ramap.jmc.or.jp/map/eng/. Accessed 24 May 2013

  8. 8.

    Kato H, Onda Y, Teramage M (2012) J Environ Radioact 111:59–64

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  9. 9.

    Ohno T, Muramatsu Y, Miura Y, Oda K, Inagawa N, Ogawa H, Yamazaki A, Toyama C, Sato M (2012) Geochem J 46:287–295

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  10. 10.

    Tanaka K, Takahashi Y, Sakaguchi A, Umeo M, Hayakawa S, Tanida H, Saito T, Kanai Y (2012) Geochem J 46:73–76

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  11. 11.

    Matsunaga T, Koarashi J, Atarashi-Andoh M, Nagao S, Sato T, Nagai H (2013) Sci Total Environ 447:301–314

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  12. 12.

    Tsukada H, Takeda A, Hisamatsu S, Inaba J (2008) J Environ Radioact 99:875–881

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  13. 13.

    Kozai N, Ohnuki T, Arisaka M, Watanabe M, Sakamoto F, Yamasaki S, Jiang M (2012) J Nucl Sci Technol 49:473–478

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  14. 14.

    Tanaka K, Sakaguchi A, Kanai Y, Tsuruta H, Shinohara A, Takahashi Y (2013) J Radioanal Nucl Chem 295:1927–1935

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  15. 15.

    Bonnett PJP (1990) J Environ Radioact 11:251–266

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  16. 16.

    Fukuyama T, Takenaka C, Onda Y (2005) Sci Total Environ 350:238–247

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  17. 17.

    Ueda S, Hasegawa H, Kakiuchi H, Akata N, Ohtsuka Y, Hisamatsu S (2013) J Environ Radioact 118:96–104

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  18. 18.

    Livens FR, Baxter MS (1988) Sci Total Environ 70:1–17

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  19. 19.

    Cundy AB, Croudace IW (1995) J Environ Radioact 29:191–211

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  20. 20.

    Spezzano P (2005) J Environ Radioact 83:117–127

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  21. 21.

    He Q, Walling DE (1996) J Environ Radioact 30:117–137

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  22. 22.

    Tanaka K, Iwatani H, Sakaguchi A, Fan QH, Takahashi Y (in revision) J Environ Radioact

  23. 23.

    Phillips JM, Russell MA, Walling DE (2000) Hydrol Process 14:2589–2602

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. 24.

    Clifton J, McDonald P, Plater A, Oldfield F (1999) Earth Surf Process Landf 24:725–730

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  25. 25.

    Tanaka K, Iwatani H, Takahashi Y, Sakaguchi A, Yoshimura K, Onda Y (2013) PLoS ONE 8(11):e80794. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0080794

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. 26.

    Japan Meteorological Agency (2013) Available at: http://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/index.php. Accessed 20 Oct 2013

  27. 27.

    Geological Survey of Japan, AIST (2013) Available at: https://gbank.gsj.jp/geonavi/. Accessed 20 Nov 2013

  28. 28.

    Qin H, Yokoyama Y, Fan Q, Iwatani H, Tanaka K, Sakaguchi A, Kanai Y, Zhu J, Takahashi Y (2012) Geochem J 46:297–302

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  29. 29.

    Cremers A, Elsen A, De Preter P, Maes A (1988) Nature 335:247–249

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  30. 30.

    Vidal M, Roig M, Rigol A, Llauradό M, Rauret G, Wauters J, Elsen A, Cremers A (1995) Analyst 120:1785–1791

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  31. 31.

    Smith JT, Beresford NA (2005) Chernobyl—catastrophe and consequences. Springer, Chichester

    Google Scholar 

  32. 32.

    Fan QH, Tanaka M, Tanaka K, Sakaguchi A, Takahashi Y (2014) Geochim Cosmochim Acta 135:49–65

  33. 33.

    Droppo IG (2001) Hydrol Process 15:1551–1564

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. 34.

    Digital Japan Web System. (2013) http://portal.cyberjapan.jp/portalsite/q_and_a/ans7.html. Accessed 24 Sept 2013

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas Grant Number 24110008.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Institute for Sustainable Sciences and Development, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, 739-8530, Japan

    Kazuya Tanaka

  2. Department of Earth and Planetary Systems Science, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, 739-8526, Japan

    Hokuto Iwatani, Aya Sakaguchi & Yoshio Takahashi

  3. Center for Research in Isotopes and Environmental Dynamics, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8572, Japan

    Yuichi Onda

Authors
  1. Kazuya Tanaka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hokuto Iwatani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Aya Sakaguchi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yoshio Takahashi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Yuichi Onda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kazuya Tanaka.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Tanaka, K., Iwatani, H., Sakaguchi, A. et al. Relationship between particle size and radiocesium in fluvial suspended sediment related to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 301, 607–613 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-014-3159-1

Download citation

Keywords

  • Fukushima
  • Radiocesium
  • Particle size
  • Suspended sediment