Finding ways to avoid the spread of radioactive contaminants like radiocaesium to areas of human activity that lie downstream from forest streams is crucial, said the scientists, who sifted through the data gathered since the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear accident in Japan in March 2011.
In the aftermath of Fukushima, the Japanese government performed intensive decontamination in the human-occupied parts of the affected area by removing soil surface layers.
But a major affected region consists of dense, uninhabited forests, where such decontamination strategies are not feasible. Finding ways to avoid the spread of radioactive contaminants like radiocesium to areas of human activity that lie downstream of these contaminated forests is crucial, said the scientists, from Japan’s National Institute of Environmental Studies.
They said their study, published in the journal Environmental Pollution, can serve as a basis for exploring future contamination management strategies in the wake of a nuclear incident.
“We identified that radiocesium accumulates primarily in the organic soil layer in forests and in stagnant water in streams, thereby making them potent sources for contaminating organisms,” said Masaru Sakai, who led the study “Contamination management in these habitats is crucial,” Dr Sakai said.
The study said nuclear power is touted as a solution to the energy crisis, but it is important to plan response measures to unpredictable contamination events. Fully understanding the behaviour of radiocesium in ecosystems can lead to the successful management of existing contamination from Fukushima-Daiichi and ensure the swift containment of potential future accidents.
