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Japan Experts: Contamination from Fukushima “is almost irreversible” in coastal sediments http://enenews.com/japan-experts-contamination-is-almost-irreversible-in-coastal-sediments November 17th, 2012
Title: Sedimentation and remobilization of radiocesium in the coastal area of Ibaraki, 70 km south of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant
Authors: Shigeyoshi Otosaka and Takuya Kobayashi, Research Group for Environmental Science, Japan Atomic Energy Agency
Date: 13 November 2012

[…] it can be inferred that dissolved radiocesium advected southward from the region adjacent to the 1FNPP and was deposited to the sediment of the study area in the early stage after the accident. The incorporation of radiocesium into sediments was almost irreversible, and higher concentrations of 137Cs were obtained from the finer-grained fraction of sediments. […]

137Cs levels in sediment decreased considerably between June and August, and then remained at the same level until January 2012. This trend indicates that the initial deposition of 137Cs to the sediment had almost ceased by August, and that the incorporation of 137Cs into sediments was almost irreversible. […]

In conclusion […] it can also be inferred that the remarkable decrease in 137Cs level between June and August 2011 (Table 3) was not caused by dissolution of labile 137Cs but by a physical transport (export) of irreversibly bound 137Cs.

[…] Most of radiocesium in the coastal sediments is incorporated into lithogenic fractions, and this incorporation is almost irreversible. Accordingly, the biological availability of sedimentary radiocesium is relatively low, but continuous monitoring of radiocesium inmarine biota is highly recommended because significant amounts of radiocesium have been accumulated in the sediment.

November 19, 2012 Posted by | Fukushima 2012, oceans | Leave a comment

Highly radioactive trout caught in Fukushima river

Kyodo: Radioactive trout over 100 times gov’t limit caught in Fukushima river http://enenews.com/kyodo-radioactive-trout-over-100-times-govt-limit-caught-in-fukushima-river  November 16th, 2012
 (Subscription Only)  Title: Fukushima trout log radioactivity level over 100 times gov’t limit 
Source: Kyodo
Date: Nov. 17, 2010

A mountain trout caught in a Fukushima Prefecture river [Niida River in Minamisoma city] returned a radioactive cesium reading of 11,400 becquerels per kilogram, more than 100 times the government-set limit for food items, a survey by the Environment Ministry said Friday. […]

The survey conducted in June and July also found 4,400 becquerels of radioactive cesium in a smallmouth bass and 3,000 becquerels in a catfish in Mano Dam in Iitate village, another municipality heavily affected by the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant run by Tokyo Electric Power Co. […]
See also: Asahi: Gov’t worried about highly radioactive fish — Why are radiation readings still 100s of times over official safe

November 17, 2012 Posted by | environment, Fukushima 2012, Japan | Leave a comment

Radiation levels not decreasing in seas around Fukushima


Radiation Still High Around Fukushima http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/33275/title/Radiation-Still-High-Around-Fukushima/,   
Continued leaks, run off from land, and contaminated sediment on the ocean floor are causing radioactivity levels to remain high in the seas around Fukushima. By Dan Cossins | November 15, 2012 Levels of radiation in the seas surrounding the ruined Fukushima Daiichi power plant in Japan are showing no signs of dropping off as expected, according to new data presented last week (November 12-13) at a conference   in Tokyo. Scientists believe that continued leaks from the plant in addition to run off from contaminated land and radiation-soaked sediment on the sea floor are responsible. Continue reading →

November 16, 2012 Posted by | Fukushima 2012, Japan, oceans | Leave a comment

Highly radioactive fish in seas near Fukushima

Asahi: Gov’t worried about highly radioactive fish — Why are radiation readings still 100s of times over official safe limits? http://enenews.com/asahi-govt-worried-about-highly-radioactive-fish-why-are-radiation-readings-still-100s-of-times-over-official-safe-limit
 November 13th, 2012
(Subscription Only) Title: Worries over highly radioactive fish prompt study
Source: Asahi
Author: HIROSHI ISHIZUKA
Date: November 13, 2012

Persistently high radioactivity in some fish caught close to the Fukushima nuclear plant has sparked a government investigation into the physiological basis for contamination and why radiation readings in some specimens remain hundreds of times over the official safe limit.

[…] The overall trend has been a decline in detected amounts of radioactive cesium.

However, in August, two greenlings caught 20 kilometers north of the Fukushima plant were found to have cesium levels of 25,800 becquerels per kilogram, the highest level ever measured in fish since the nuclear accident. The government standard for food is 100 becquerels per kilogram.

And in March, tests recorded a level of 18,700 becquerels per kilogram
in freshwater salmon in the Niidagawa river near Iitate […]

[…] cesium in freshwater salmon and char caught since March has not been decreasing, leading to restrictions on the shipment […]

The forthcoming study will analyze cesium levels in the fish’s otolith, a part of the inner ear. The otolith is widely used in such research because it is an organ where trace elements tend to accumulate over the animal’s lifespan, leaving a growth record that can be likened to the rings of a tree. […]

November 15, 2012 Posted by | Japan, oceans, Reference | Leave a comment

Japan’s desperate, endless battle with nuclear radiation

Top Nuclear Official: Japan in “desperate, seemingly endless battle with radiation” — “Seemingly infinite damage to the daily life of residents” http://enenews.com/top-nuclear-official-japan-desperate-seemingly-endless-battle-radiation-seemingly-infinite-damage-daily-life-residents
   November 12th, 2012 
Source: Proceedings of the Japan Academy, Series B; Vol. 88 (2012) No. 9 p. 471-484Title: (1.7MB pdf) Accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Stations of TEPCO —Outline & lessons learned

Author: Shunichi Tanaka, Chairman Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority
Date: Nov. 9, 2012
The severe accident that broke out at Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power stations on March 11, 2011, caused seemingly infinite damage to the daily life of residents. Serious and widespread contamination of the environment occurred due to radioactive materials discharged from nuclear power stations (NPSs). […]

The accident has seriously contaminated the environment, such as houses, farmland, forests and seacoasts, resulting in significant radiation exposure to residents. After one year, there seems to be no concrete program to recover from the damage to the environment and to nuclear power applications, while the nation is forced to struggle with a desperate, seemingly endless battle with radiation. […]

November 15, 2012 Posted by | environment, Japan | Leave a comment

Wind and solar energy have the advantage, as water becomes scarcer


Water scarcity could drive push towards wind and solar REneweconomy By Giles Parkinson   14 November 2012 In 2010, more water – 583 billion cubic metres – than is discharged each year by the mighty Ganges River in India was used to meet the world’s growing energy needs.

It’s an interesting statistic, but why should that matter? Well, if the world continues on its merry way, power capacity – particularly with water-hungry energy technologies such as coal and nuclear – and water-dependent extractive techniques such as coal, shale gas and tar sands, are going to grow quickly, and, according to the International Energy Agency, the world’s demand for water will grow at twice the pace, putting pressure on increasingly scarce water resources. Continue reading →

November 15, 2012 Posted by | 2 WORLD, Reference, water | Leave a comment

Uranium dust used as pesticide in Tanzania: urgent need to stop this

Action needed’ on uranium use in Tanzania, DW 11 Nov 12, Reports say Tanzanian farmers have used uranium dust as a pesticide. Immediate inspections are needed, says Ute Koczy, a member of the German parliament and Green Party spokeswoman on development issues. Continue reading →

November 12, 2012 Posted by | AFRICA, environment | 2 Comments

The nightmare of the Marshall Islands nuclear bomb tests

PARADISE WITH AN ASTERISK, OUTSIDE MAGAZINE,  OCTOBER 17, 2012 Bikini Atoll, a tiny ring of islands halfway between Hawaii and Australia, is a world-class diving destination and home to one of the Pacific’s last great fishing grounds. So where are all the tourists? Welcome to heaven on earth, where the vestiges of hell lie just below the surface. Continue reading →

November 6, 2012 Posted by | environment, OCEANIA, weapons and war | Leave a comment

Ocean life endangered by proposed seismic imaging project

California energy agencies have recommended and PG&E has proposed the Central Coastal California Seismic Imaging Project  (the project). Using high-intensity seismic surveys in ocean waters, PG&E intends to study faults and their connections deep under the seafloor near the plant.

The project would put sea birds, fish, squid, and other ocean life at risk, undermine the safeguards of Marine Protected Areas that local residents worked hard to create, and affect human communities that depend on thriving ocean life.

Given that less harmful studies likely will address high priority uncertainties in the hazard assessment, we urge the Coastal Commission to follow the staff recommendation  and deny the permit

Can Nuclear Safety Be Improved Without Sacrificing Ocean Life? NRDC Switchboard,  Karen Garrison, November 5, 2012 I was just a child when scientists in St. Louis found radioactive material in thousands of baby teeth collected nationwide. People around the world were shocked to learn that fallout from nuclear testing had worked its way into the food chain, as dairy cows ingested radioactive material that landed on pastures. A test ban treaty is now in place, but decades later, we’re still living with the risks of nuclear power. Continue reading →

November 6, 2012 Posted by | oceans, USA | Leave a comment

Progress Energy’s nuclear plans a threat to Florida’s wetlands

Experts: Major Damage To Region’s Wetlands Seen If Levy Nuclear Reactor Gets License To Move Ahead http://www.sacbee.com/2012/10/31/4951156/experts-major-damage-to-regions.html By Nuclear Information and Resource Service, Bronson, FL, Oct. 31, 2012  BRONSON, Fla.,  – Groups:  Progress Energy Relying on the Kind of Weak Geology Review That Should No Longer Pass Muster Now that a Respected Geologist Heads the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.– Some of Florida’s limited remaining fresh-water wetlands are at serious risk if Progress Energy’s problem-plagued Levy nuclear power plant project is allowed to proceed, according to experts testifying here today before a three-judge Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) panel.

Expert testimony from scientists appearing before the NRC judges on behalf of the Ecology Party of Florida and Nuclear Information & Resource Service (NIRS) warned that construction and operation of the proposed dual reactors would deplete the region’s aquifer, cause saltwater intrusion to the already-imperiled local water supply,  and harm fragile springs and wetland plants and wildlife in the area.   Continue reading →

November 1, 2012 Posted by | environment, Legal, USA | Leave a comment

Greece finds Fukushima radiation fallout

Radioecological indexes of fallout measurements from the Fukushima nuclear accident http://sciencealerts.com/stories/2051814/Radioecological_indexes_of_fallout_measurements_from_the_Fukushima_nuclear_accident.html#.UI7UmW_A9dN  Fallout from the Fukushima nuclear accident has been monitored for about 1 month in Thessaloniki, Northern Greece. Three different radionuclides, one short-lived, one relatively long-lived and one long-lived fission product were identified in air, grass and milk samples. The 131I, 137Cs and 134Cs activity concentrations in air reached 497, 145 and 126μBqm−3, respectively on 4 April, 201These radionuclides are of particular concern regarding their transfer from the environment to population through the ingestion pathways for the assessment of the Fukushima accident consequences. Radioecological indexes (eco-indexes) of fallout measurements in the air–grass–cow-milk–man pathway for 131I were determined, as they are related to radiological impact of the Fukushima derived radionuclides on the public and environment.

October 29, 2012 Posted by | environment, Greece | Leave a comment

Fukushima cooling water might be released into ocean

Tepco: Water used to cool Fukushima reactors could be released into ocean — Outside experts worried http://enenews.com/tepco-water-cool-fukushima-reactors-could-be-released-ocean-experts-worried-about-lasting-impact
October 25th, 2012   Title  AP Interview: Japan Nuke Plant Water Worries Rise (PHOTOS)
Source: Associated Press
Author: MARI YAMAGUCHI (Malcolm Foster contributed to this report)
Date: October 25, 2012
Japan’s crippled nuclear power plant is struggling to find space to store [… a]bout 200,000 tons of radioactive water […]

TEPCO is close to running a new treatment system that could make the water safe enough to release into the ocean. […]

Outside experts worry that if contaminated water is released, there will be lasting impact on the environment. […]

TEPCO claims the treated water from this new system is clean enough to be potentially released into the ocean, although it hasn’t said whether it would do that. […]

October 27, 2012 Posted by | Fukushima 2012, Japan, oceans | Leave a comment

Seabed off Fukushima radioactive for decades to come

Radiation settles on seabed off Japan Radio Australia  26 October 2012,  New research suggests radiation from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant has settled on the ocean floor off Japan, and could contaminate sea life for decades.

Contamination may be due to low-level leaks from the Fukushima nuclear plant. (Credit: AFP) Marine chemist Ken Buesseler of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution reviewed official Japanese data on radiation levels in fish, shellfish and seaweed collected near the crippled nuclear plant. He concluded the lingering contamination may be due to low-level leaks from the facility, or contaminated sediment on the ocean floor.

His research, published on Thursday in the US magazine Science, estimated that about 40 per cent of fish caught near Fukushima are considered unfit for consumption under Japanese
regulations…..http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/2012-10-26/radiation-settles-on-seabed-off-japan/1036750

October 27, 2012 Posted by | Japan, oceans | Leave a comment

Fukushima radioactive water could fill 50 Olympic sized swimming pools

To deal with the excess tainted water, the utility has channeled it to more than 300 huge storage tanks placed around the plant.

Fukushima Nuclear Disaster: Plant’s Contaminated Water Storage Running Out Of Space HUFFINGTON POST, By MARI YAMAGUCHI 10/25/12  TOKYO — Japan’s crippled nuclear power plant is struggling to find space to store tens of thousands of tons of highly contaminated water used to cool the broken reactors, the manager of the water treatment team said.

About 200,000 tons of radioactive water – enough to fill more than 50 Olympic-sized swimming pools – are being stored in hundreds of gigantic tanks built around the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant. Operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. has already chopped down trees to make room for more tanks and predicts the volume of water will more than triple within three years. Continue reading →

October 26, 2012 Posted by | Fukushima 2012, Japan, water | Leave a comment

Fish caught off Japan’s coast becoming MORE radioactive

 the most contaminated fish found yet off Fukushima were caught in August, some 17 months after the disaster. The two greenlings, which are bottom-feeders, had cesium levels of more than 25,000 becquerels per kilogram, 250 times the level the government considers safe. 

Radiation levels in fish off Japan not declining since nuclear disaster Anchorage Daily News,  October 25, 2012  By MALCOLM FOSTER — Associated Press TOKYO — Radioactive cesium levels in most kinds of fish caught off the coast of Fukushima haven’t declined in the year following Japan’s nuclear disaster, a signal that the seafloor or leakage from the damaged reactors must be continuing to contaminate the waters – possibly threatening fisheries for decades, a researcher says. Continue reading →

October 26, 2012 Posted by | Japan, oceans | 1 Comment

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