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Sakauchi K, Otaki JM. Imaging Plate Autoradiography for Ingested Anthropogenic Cesium-137 in Butterfly Bodies: Implications for the Biological Impacts of the Fukushima Nuclear Accident. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:life13051211. [PMID: 37240856 DOI: 10.3390/life13051211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The Fukushima nuclear accident in March 2011 caused biological impacts on the pale grass blue butterfly Zizeeria maha. At least some of the impacts are likely mediated by the host plant, resulting in "field effects". However, to obtain the whole picture of the impacts, direct exposure effects should also be evaluated. Here, we examined the distribution of experimentally ingested anthropogenic cesium-137 (137Cs) in adult butterfly bodies using imaging plate autoradiography. We showed that 137Cs ingested by larvae was incorporated into adult bodies and was biased to females, although the majority of ingested 137Cs was excreted in the pupal cuticle and excretory material during eclosion. 137Cs accumulation in adult bodies was the highest in the abdomen, followed by the thorax and other organs. These results suggest that 137Cs accumulation in reproductive organs may cause adverse transgenerational or maternal effects mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) on germ cells. 137Cs accumulation was detected in field individuals collected in September 2011 and September 2016 but not in May 2011, which is consistent with the abnormality dynamics known from previous studies. Taken together, these results contribute to an integrative understanding of the multifaceted biological effects of the Fukushima nuclear accident in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ko Sakauchi
- The BCPH Unit of Molecular Physiology, Department of Chemistry, Biology and Marine Science, Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara 903-0213, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Joji M Otaki
- The BCPH Unit of Molecular Physiology, Department of Chemistry, Biology and Marine Science, Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara 903-0213, Okinawa, Japan
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Hayama SI, Tanaka A, Nakanishi S, Konno F, Kawamoto Y, Ochiai K, Omi T. Time dependence of 137Cs contamination in wild Japanese monkeys after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:88359-88368. [PMID: 36308650 PMCID: PMC9672003 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-23707-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Over the 10 years immediately after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident, we measured the changes in the muscle 137Cs concentration (Bq/kg) of wild Japanese monkeys living in Fukushima City, which is located approximately 70 km from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The muscle137Csconcentration, which was observed at a maximum of 13,500 Bq/kg immediately after the accident, had decreased to several hundred Bq/kg 10 years later. The muscle 137Cs concentration was significantly related to the soil contamination levels (10,000-30,000, 30,000-60,000, 60,000-100,000, and 100,000-300,000 Bq/m2), sex, age class (immature, mature), body weight (> 5000 g, 5000-10,000 g, < 10,000 g), and seasons (the cold period from December to April, the warm period from May to November).The value of muscle 137Cs concentration and the aggregated transfer factor (Tag: calculated by dividing muscle 137Cs concentration [Bq/kg] by soil 137Cs deposition density at the capture site [Bq/m2]) apparently decreased with time for several years. However, post hoc pairwise comparisons showed no difference from 2017 to 2020, and the accumulation of 137Cs in muscle may continue for some time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shin-Ichi Hayama
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Musashino, Tokyo, 180-8602, Japan.
| | - Aki Tanaka
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Musashino, Tokyo, 180-8602, Japan
| | - Setsuko Nakanishi
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Musashino, Tokyo, 180-8602, Japan
| | - Fumiharu Konno
- Fukushima Mirai Agricultural Cooperative, Fukushima, 960-0185, Japan
- Tohoku Wildlife Management Center, Sendai, Miyagi, 989-3212, Japan
| | - Yoshi Kawamoto
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Musashino, Tokyo, 180-8602, Japan
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Ochiai
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Musashino, Tokyo, 180-8602, Japan
| | - Toshinori Omi
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Musashino, Tokyo, 180-8602, Japan
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Li J, Wang Y, Li W, Bhat SA, Wei Y, Deng Z, Hao X, Li F. Accumulation capability for cesium differs among bacterial species: A comprehensive study using bacteria isolated from freshwater and coastal sediment. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 292:118431. [PMID: 34743968 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The fate and behavior of radioactive cesium (Cs) in the water environment are of great concern. The involvement of bacteria regarding their accumulation capability for this element is the most fundamental factor that needs to be clarified even for exploring the interactions between many environmental factors that involve together in governing the transport and distribution of Cs. As the first systematical study that aimed to evaluate the accumulation capability of environmental bacteria for Cs, bacteria in the sediment of a freshwater reservoir and coastal water environment were isolated and multiplied for contact experiment with Cs under different temperature conditions (5, 25, and 35 °C). The accumulation concentration of Cs in bacteria from freshwater sediment varied in 3.95 × 10-6 to 5.68 × 10-4ng-Cs/cell, and that from coastal sediment in 1.52 × 10-6 to 7.41 × 10-4ng-Cs/cell, indicating obvious differences among bacterial species. Bacteria of coastal sediment possessed higher accumulation capability for Cs than bacteria from freshwater sediment, and temperature dependency was confirmed for bacteria from coastal sediment. The findings of this study have great reference value for better understanding and controlling the fate and behavior of radioactive Cs associated with bacteria in the water environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiefeng Li
- Department of Architecture, Lu Liang University, Luliang, 033001, PR China.
| | - Yajie Wang
- Department of Life Science, Lu Liang University, Luliang, 033001, PR China; Graduate School of Engineering, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan
| | - Wenjiao Li
- Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
| | - Sartaj Ahmad Bhat
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Government Degree College Anantnag, Khanabal, Jammu and Kashmir, 192101, India; River Basin Research Center, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan
| | - Yongfen Wei
- River Basin Research Center, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan
| | - Zhiyi Deng
- College of Environment and Resources, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan, 411105, PR China
| | - Xiaodi Hao
- Sino-Dutch R&D Centre for Future Wastewater Treatment Technologies, Beijing University of Civil Engineering & Architecture, Beijing, 100044, PR China
| | - Fusheng Li
- Graduate School of Engineering, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan; River Basin Research Center, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan
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Savchuk I, Skydan O, Stepanenko V, Kryvyi M, Kovalоva S. Safety of livestock products of bulls on various diets during fattening in the conditions of radioactive contamination. REGULATORY MECHANISMS IN BIOSYSTEMS 2021. [DOI: 10.15421/022113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Production of high-quality and safe food products in the conditions of technogenic environmental pollution is a problem worldwide, especially in Ukraine. As a result of the disaster at the Chornobyl Atomic Power Plant, radioactive substances, including caesium-137, contaminated the soil not only in Ukraine, but in many other countries. Zhytomyr Oblast is the fifth largest oblast in Ukraine and one of the regions that were the most damaged by the accident. Furthermore, this territory is contaminated by the most toxic heavy metals – lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) that actively migrate in the biological system: soil→ plant → animal → production → human, intensely accumulating in the products of plant and animal origin. The complex ecological situation and broad spectrum of biological and toxic actions of 137Cs, Pb, Cd require a number of measures that would prevent transformation of radioactive elements and heavy metals in the organism of animals, increase animals` productivity and safety of the food products made in the conditions of the Ukrainian Polisia. Therefore, we aimed at substantiating the practicability of using silage-concentrate, silage-concentrate-root vegetable and silage-concentrate-hay types of diet for young cattle during fattening and determining the impact of accumulation of 137Сs, Pb and Cd in livestock products. To perform the studies, we formed three groups of young bulls of Ukrainian Black Pied cattle using the method of analogues with creating comfortable maintenance condition and organization of in-detail planned feeding. The diet was composed of fodders prepared in the conditions of radioactive contamination. The laboratory surveys indicated that the main sources of 137Cs ingress in the organism of the animals were roughages and various types of silages, and the sources of heavy metals Pb and Cd were hay of red clover and concentrated fodders. In the experimental studies, we determined absolute and average daily weight gains, expenditures of metabolic energy per 1 kg of weight increment, specific activity of 137Сs and concentrations of the heavy metals (Pb and Cd) in the biological system “fodder-animal-production” during feeding of bulls with various-type diets in the conditions of the III zone of radioactive pollution. It was confirmed that substituting maize silage and carbohydrate fodders increased the average daily gains in the live weight by 2.3–4.6%, decreased specific activity of 137Cs by 8.7–20.1%, the content of Pb by 36.2%, Cd by 34.1–66.7% in the longissimus at silage-concentrate-root vegetable and silage-concentrate-hay types of diet for bulls. Thus, use of silage-concentrate-root vegetable and silage-concentrate-hay types of diets compared with silage-concentrate feeding had a positive effect on their productivity and safety of the food production.
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Transition of Radioactive Cesium Deposition in Reproductive Organs of Free-Roaming Cats in Namie Town, Fukushima. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18041772. [PMID: 33670348 PMCID: PMC7918855 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18041772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the internal contamination by radioactive cesium associated with the FDNPP accident, in the testes or uterus and ovaries of free-roaming cats (Felis silvestris catus), which were protected by volunteers in the Namie Town, Fukushima. A total of 253 samples (145 testes and 108 uterus and ovaries) obtained from adult cats and 15 fetuses from 3 pregnant female cats were measured. Free-roaming cats in Namie Town had a higher level of radioactive contamination in comparison to the control group in Tokyo, as the 134Cs + 137Cs activity concentration ranged from not detectable to 37,882 Bq kg-1 in adult cats. Furthermore, the radioactivity in the fetuses was almost comparable to those in their mother's uterus and ovaries. The radioactivity was also different between several cats protected in the same location, and there was no significant correlation with ambient dose-rates and activity concentrations in soil. Moreover, radioactive cesium levels in cats decreased with each year. Therefore, it is likely that decontamination work in Namie Town and its surroundings could affect radioactive cesium accumulation, and thus possibly reduce the internal radiation exposure of wildlife living in contaminated areas. It is hence necessary to continue radioactivity monitoring efforts for the residents living in Namie Town.
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Fujishima Y, Nakata A, Ujiie R, Kasai K, Ariyoshi K, Goh VST, Suzuki K, Tazoe H, Yamada M, Yoshida MA, Miura T. Assessment of chromosome aberrations in large Japanese field mice ( Apodemus speciosus) in Namie Town, Fukushima. Int J Radiat Biol 2020; 98:1159-1167. [PMID: 32602392 DOI: 10.1080/09553002.2020.1787548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE After the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident in Japan on March 11 2011, the surroundings became contaminated with radionuclides. To understand the possible biological effects after chronic low dose-rate radiation in contaminated areas of Fukushima, we assessed the effects in large Japanese field mice (Apodemus speciosus) by means of chromosome aberration analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS We collected A. speciosus in five sites around Namie Town, Fukushima (contaminated areas) and in two sites in Hirosaki City, Aomori (control areas, 350 km north of FDNPP) from autumn 2011 to 2013. The number of mice captured and ambient dose-rates were as follows: high (n = 11, 10.1-30.0 µGy h-1), moderate (n = 10, 5.7-15.6 µGy h-1), low (n = 12, 0.23-1.14 µGy h-1) and control (n = 20, 0.04-0.07 µGy h-1). After spleen extraction from rodents, spleen cell culture was performed to obtain metaphase spreads. Chromosome aberrations were assessed on Giemsa-stained metaphase spreads. RESULTS Although the mice in the contaminated areas were chronically exposed, there was no radiation-specific chromosome aberrations observed, such as dicentric chromosomes and rings. Some structural aberrations such as gaps and breaks were observed, and these frequencies decreased annually in mice from Namie Town. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that chromosome aberration analysis is useful to evaluate and monitor radiation effects in wild animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yohei Fujishima
- Department of Bioscience and Laboratory Medicine, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hirosaki, Japan.,Department of Radiation Biology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Akifumi Nakata
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Hokkaido University of Science, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Risa Ujiie
- Department of Radiation Medical Sciences, Atomic Bomb Disease Institute, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Kosuke Kasai
- Department of Bioscience and Laboratory Medicine, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hirosaki, Japan
| | - Kentaro Ariyoshi
- Integrated Center for Science and Humanities, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Valerie Swee Ting Goh
- Department of Bioscience and Laboratory Medicine, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hirosaki, Japan
| | | | - Hirofumi Tazoe
- Department of International Cooperation and Collaborative Research, Institute of Radiation Emergency Medicine, Hirosaki University, Hirosaki, Japan
| | - Masatoshi Yamada
- Central Laboratory, Marine Ecology Research Institute, Chiba, Japan
| | - Mitsuaki A Yoshida
- Department of Radiation biology, Institute of Radiation Emergency Medicine, Hirosaki University, Hirosaki, Japan
| | - Tomisato Miura
- Department of Risk Analysis and Biodosimetry, Institute of Radiation Emergency Medicine, Hirosaki University, Hirosaki, Japan
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Ozaki H, Inamochi R, Takahashi H, Takahashi H, Hara Y, Tokumaru T, Watai C, Gomi T, Watanabe I. Road Dust as a Significant Radiocesium Transporter from Land to River. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2020; 79:39-48. [PMID: 32350556 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-020-00738-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
This study made it clear that road dust plays an important role for Cs-137 dynamics emitted by the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident. It was proved from the Cs-137 and heavy metals determination in road dust, drainage gutter sediment beside pavement, and riverbed sediment around the inflow point of the gutter. Road dust and drainage gutter sediment contained significantly higher concentrations of Cs-137 and Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo, Cd, Sn, Sb, and Pb than riverbed sediment. These heavy metals are typically enriched in road dust in general and originate in anthropogenic sources. Concentrations of Cs-137 and the heavy metals were higher in riverbed sediments at the inflow point of drainage than in non-inflow points. Drainage gutter sediments exhibited Cs-137 and heavy metal accumulation at the downmost of the gutter, which is the inflow point into the river. Accordingly, distribution of Cs-137 and the heavy metals concentrations were consistent with each other. Moreover, the concentrations of Cs-137 and heavy metals were correlated positively and significantly, with different proportions between sampling sites but similar between sample type and survey date. This indicates that the discharge of Cs-137 and heavy metals is characteristic of the features of the locations, such as Cs-137 and heavy metals concentrations, (micro-) topography, structure of the road and gutter, pavement area, traffic density, and so on. We conclude that road dust is a major medium of Cs-137 transport from land into aquatic ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirokazu Ozaki
- Department of Environmental Science on Biosphere, Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan.
- Fukushima Branch, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan, 10-2 Fukasaku, Miharu, Tamura District, Fukushima, 963-7700, Japan.
| | - Riko Inamochi
- Department of Environmental Science on Biosphere, Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Takahashi
- Department of Environmental Science on Biosphere, Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hikaru Takahashi
- Department of Environmental Science on Biosphere, Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuta Hara
- Department of Environmental Science on Biosphere, Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takashi Tokumaru
- Department of Environmental Science on Biosphere, Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Chie Watai
- Department of Environmental Science on Biosphere, Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takashi Gomi
- Department of International Environmental and Agricultural Science, Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Izumi Watanabe
- Department of Environmental Science on Biosphere, Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
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Omi T, Nakiri S, Nakanishi S, Ishii N, Uno T, Konno F, Inagaki T, Sakamoto A, Shito M, Udagawa C, Tada N, Ochiai K, Kato T, Kawamoto Y, Tsuchida S, Hayama SI. Concentrations of 137Cs radiocaesium in the organs and tissues of low-dose-exposed wild Japanese monkeys. BMC Res Notes 2020; 13:121. [PMID: 32122403 PMCID: PMC7053083 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-020-04972-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives Following the massive earthquake that struck eastern Japan on March 11, 2011, a large amount of radioactive material was released into the environment from the damaged reactor of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP). After the FDNPP accident, radiocaesium was first detected in muscle samples from wild Japanese monkeys exposed to radioactive materials, and haematologic effects, changes in head size, and delayed body weight gain were also reported, but little is known about the distribution of 137Cs in the organs and tissues of wild Japanese monkeys. Results We detected the 137Cs in various organ and tissue samples of 10 wild Japanese monkeys inhabiting the forested areas of Fukushima City that were captured between July and August 2012. Among muscle, brain, heart, kidney, liver, lung, and spleen, muscle exhibited the highest and the brain the lowest 137Cs concentration. The concentration (mean ± SD) of 137Cs in muscle, brain, heart, kidney, liver, lung, and spleen was 77 ± 66, 26 ± 22, 41 ± 35, 49 ± 41, 41 ± 38, 53 ± 41, and 53 ± 51 Bq/kg, respectively. These results can help us understand the biological effects of long-term internal radiation exposure in non-human primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshinori Omi
- Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, 1-7-1 Kyonancho, Musashino City, Tokyo, 180-8602, Japan.
| | - Sachie Nakiri
- Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, 1-7-1 Kyonancho, Musashino City, Tokyo, 180-8602, Japan
| | - Setsuko Nakanishi
- Conservation and Animal Welfare, 1-9-4 Kunitachi City, Tokyo, 186-0004, Japan
| | - Naomi Ishii
- Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, 1-7-1 Kyonancho, Musashino City, Tokyo, 180-8602, Japan
| | - Taiki Uno
- Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, 1-7-1 Kyonancho, Musashino City, Tokyo, 180-8602, Japan
| | - Fumiharu Konno
- Fukushima-Mirai Agricultural Cooperative, 19-2 Kubota, Kamata, Fukushima, Fukushima, 960-0102, Japan
| | - Takeshi Inagaki
- Jichi Medical University, School of Medicine, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke City, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Atsushi Sakamoto
- Jichi Medical University, School of Medicine, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke City, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Masayuki Shito
- Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, 1-7-1 Kyonancho, Musashino City, Tokyo, 180-8602, Japan
| | - Chihiro Udagawa
- Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, 1-7-1 Kyonancho, Musashino City, Tokyo, 180-8602, Japan
| | - Naomi Tada
- Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, 1-7-1 Kyonancho, Musashino City, Tokyo, 180-8602, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Ochiai
- Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, 1-7-1 Kyonancho, Musashino City, Tokyo, 180-8602, Japan
| | - Takuya Kato
- Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, 1-7-1 Kyonancho, Musashino City, Tokyo, 180-8602, Japan
| | - Yoshi Kawamoto
- Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, 1-7-1 Kyonancho, Musashino City, Tokyo, 180-8602, Japan
| | - Shuichi Tsuchida
- Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, 1-7-1 Kyonancho, Musashino City, Tokyo, 180-8602, Japan
| | - Shin-Ichi Hayama
- Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, 1-7-1 Kyonancho, Musashino City, Tokyo, 180-8602, Japan
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Developmental and hemocytological effects of ingesting Fukushima's radiocesium on the cabbage white butterfly Pieris rapae. Sci Rep 2019; 9:2625. [PMID: 30796244 PMCID: PMC6385249 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-37325-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
High morphological abnormality and mortality rates have been reported in the pale grass blue butterfly, Zizeeria maha, since the Fukushima nuclear accident. However, it remains uncertain if these effects are restricted to this butterfly. Here, we evaluated the effects of ingesting cabbage leaves grown with contaminated soils from Fukushima on the development and hemocytes of the cabbage white butterfly, Pieris rapae. Contaminated cabbage leaves containing various low levels of anthropogenic 134Cs and 137Cs radioactivity (less than natural 40K radioactivity) were fed to larvae from Okinawa, the least contaminated locality in Japan. Negative developmental and morphological effects were detected in the experimental groups. The cesium (but not potassium) radioactivity concentration was negatively correlated with the granulocyte percentage in hemolymph, and the granulocyte percentage was positively correlated with the pupal eclosion rate, the adult achievement rate, and the total normality rate. These results demonstrated that ingesting low-level radiocesium contaminants in Fukushima (but not natural radiopotassium) imposed biologically negative effects on the cabbage white butterfly, as in the pale grass blue butterfly, at both cellular and organismal levels.
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Haematological analysis of Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) in the area affected by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. Sci Rep 2018; 8:16748. [PMID: 30425289 PMCID: PMC6233195 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-35104-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 10/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Several populations of wild Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) inhabit the area around Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP). To measure and control the size of these populations, macaques are captured annually. Between May 2013 and December 2014, we performed a haematological analysis of Japanese macaques captured within a 40-km radius of FNPP, the location of a nuclear disaster two years post-accident. The dose-rate of radiocaesium was estimated using the ERICA Tool. The median internal dose-rate was 7.6 μGy/day (ranging from 1.8 to 219 μGy/day) and the external dose-rate was 13.9 μGy/day (ranging from 6.7 to 35.1 μGy/day). We performed multiple regression analyses to estimate the dose-rate effects on haematological values in peripheral blood and bone marrow. The white blood cell and platelet counts showed an inverse correlation with the internal dose-rate in mature macaques. Furthermore, the myeloid cell, megakaryocyte, and haematopoietic cell counts were inversely correlated and the occupancy of adipose tissue was positively correlated with internal dose-rate in femoral bone marrow of mature macaques. These relationships suggest that persistent whole body exposure to low-dose-rate radiation affects haematopoiesis in Japanese macaques.
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11
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Otaki JM, Taira W. Current Status of the Blue Butterfly in Fukushima Research. J Hered 2018; 109:178-187. [PMID: 28431090 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esx037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2016] [Accepted: 04/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Adverse biological impacts of the Fukushima nuclear accident have been revealed using the pale grass blue butterfly, Zizeeria maha, since 2012, which were often considered incompatible with the conventional understanding of radiation biology. This discrepancy likely originates from different system conditions and methodologies. In this article, we first respond to comments from the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) regarding our study; "technical errors" in unit usage and mathematical models noted by UNSCEAR are not errors but reflect our research philosophy not to introduce theoretical assumptions associated with unit conversion and mathematical fit. Second, we review our recent studies to support the original 2012 conclusions. Because the high morphological abnormality rate and small body size detected in Fukushima in 2011 have already ceased, likely through adaptive evolution, their present geographical distributions were investigated throughout Japan. Local populations showing relatively high abnormality rates and small body sizes were rare and basically restricted to Miyagi and its northern populations excluding the Fukushima populations, supporting the causal involvement of the accident. Lastly, we stress the importance of understanding the whole picture of the biological impacts of the Fukushima accident. In addition to the direct radiation impacts, indirect impacts through unknown radiation-associated mechanisms, such as immunological responses to insoluble particulate matter and nutritional deficiencies in plants and animals, would be in effect. Further environmental studies beyond conventional radiation biology and physics are necessary to understand the complex responses of organisms, including humans, to the Fukushima nuclear accident.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joji M Otaki
- BCPH Unit of Molecular Physiology, Department of Chemistry, Biology and Marine Science, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Wataru Taira
- BCPH Unit of Molecular Physiology, Department of Chemistry, Biology and Marine Science, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
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12
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Small head size and delayed body weight growth in wild Japanese monkey fetuses after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. Sci Rep 2017; 7:3528. [PMID: 28615678 PMCID: PMC5471234 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-03866-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2017] [Accepted: 05/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
To evaluate the biological effect of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, relative differences in the growth of wild Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata) were measured before and after the disaster of 2011 in Fukushima City, which is approximately 70 km from the nuclear power plant, by performing external measurements on fetuses collected from 2008 to 2016. Comparing the relative growth of 31 fetuses conceived prior to the disaster and 31 fetuses conceived after the disaster in terms of body weight and head size (product of the occipital frontal diameter and biparietal diameter) to crown-rump length ratio revealed that body weight growth rate and proportional head size were significantly lower in fetuses conceived after the disaster. No significant difference was observed in nutritional indicators for the fetuses' mothers. Accordingly, radiation exposure could be one factor contributed to the observed growth delay in this study.
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Oba Y, Yamada T. Sampling design and required sample size for evaluating contamination levels of 137Cs in Japanese fir needles in a mixed deciduous forest stand in Fukushima, Japan. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2017; 224:430-435. [PMID: 28237310 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2017.02.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2016] [Revised: 02/10/2017] [Accepted: 02/12/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
We estimated the sample size (the number of samples) required to evaluate the concentration of radiocesium (137Cs) in Japanese fir (Abies firma Sieb. & Zucc.), 5 years after the outbreak of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. We investigated the spatial structure of the contamination levels in this species growing in a mixed deciduous broadleaf and evergreen coniferous forest stand. We sampled 40 saplings with a tree height of 150 cm-250 cm in a Fukushima forest community. The results showed that: (1) there was no correlation between the 137Cs concentration in needles and soil, and (2) the difference in the spatial distribution pattern of 137Cs concentration between needles and soil suggest that the contribution of root uptake to 137Cs in new needles of this species may be minor in the 5 years after the radionuclides were released into the atmosphere. The concentration of 137Cs in needles showed a strong positive spatial autocorrelation in the distance class from 0 to 2.5 m, suggesting that the statistical analysis of data should consider spatial autocorrelation in the case of an assessment of the radioactive contamination of forest trees. According to our sample size analysis, a sample size of seven trees was required to determine the mean contamination level within an error in the means of no more than 10%. This required sample size may be feasible for most sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yurika Oba
- Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-7-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8521, Japan.
| | - Toshihiro Yamada
- Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-7-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8521, Japan
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Strand P, Sundell-Bergman S, Brown JE, Dowdall M. On the divergences in assessment of environmental impacts from ionising radiation following the Fukushima accident. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2017; 169-170:159-173. [PMID: 28119209 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2016.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2016] [Revised: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 12/16/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The accident at the Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Station on March 11, 2011, led to significant contamination of the surrounding terrestrial and marine environments. Whilst impacts on human health remain the primary concern in the aftermath of such an accident, recent years have seen a significant body of work conducted on the assessment of the accident's impacts on both the terrestrial and marine environment. Such assessments have been undertaken at various levels of biological organisation, for different species, using different methodologies and coming, in many cases, to divergent conclusions as to the effects of the accident on the environment. This article provides an overview of the work conducted in relation to the environmental impacts of the Fukushima accident, critically comparing and contrasting methodologies and results with a view towards finding reasons for discrepancies, should they indeed exist. Based on the outcomes of studies conducted to date, it would appear that in order to avoid the fractured and disparate conclusions drawn in the aftermath of previous accidents, radioactive contaminants and their effects can no longer simply be viewed in isolation with respect to the ecosystems these effects may impact. A combination of laboratory based and field studies with a focus on ecosystem functioning and effects could offer the best opportunities for coherence in the interpretation of the results of studies into the environmental impacts of ionising radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Strand
- CERAD, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1430 Ås, Norway.
| | - S Sundell-Bergman
- Department of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Box 7014, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - J E Brown
- Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, Grini næringspark 13, 1332 Østerås, Norway
| | - M Dowdall
- Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, Grini næringspark 13, 1332 Østerås, Norway
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Takino S, Yamashiro H, Sugano Y, Fujishima Y, Nakata A, Kasai K, Hayashi G, Urushihara Y, Suzuki M, Shinoda H, Miura T, Fukumoto M. Analysis of the Effect of Chronic and Low-Dose Radiation Exposure on Spermatogenic Cells of Male Large Japanese Field Mice ( Apodemus speciosus ) after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident. Radiat Res 2017; 187:161-168. [PMID: 28092218 DOI: 10.1667/rr14234.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
In this study we analyzed the effect of chronic and low-dose-rate (LDR) radiation on spermatogenic cells of large Japanese field mice ( Apodemus speciosus ) after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) accident. In March 2014, large Japanese field mice were collected from two sites located in, and one site adjacent to, the FNPP ex-evacuation zone: Tanashio, Murohara and Akogi, respectively. Testes from these animals were analyzed histologically. External dose rate from radiocesium (combined 134Cs and 137Cs) in these animals at the sampling sites exhibited 21 μGy/day in Tanashio, 304-365 μGy/day in Murohara and 407-447 μGy/day in Akogi. In the Akogi group, the numbers of spermatogenic cells and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-positive cells per seminiferous tubule were significantly higher compared to the Tanashio and Murohara groups, respectively. TUNEL-positive apoptotic cells tended to be detected at a lower level in the Murohara and Akogi groups compared to the Tanashio group. These results suggest that enhanced spermatogenesis occurred in large Japanese field mice living in and around the FNPP ex-evacuation zone. It remains to be elucidated whether this phenomenon, attributed to chronic exposure to LDR radiation, will benefit or adversely affect large Japanese field mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sachio Takino
- a Graduate School of Science and Technology, Niigata University, 2-8050 Ikarashi, Nishiku, Niigata, 950-2181, Japan
| | - Hideaki Yamashiro
- a Graduate School of Science and Technology, Niigata University, 2-8050 Ikarashi, Nishiku, Niigata, 950-2181, Japan
| | - Yukou Sugano
- a Graduate School of Science and Technology, Niigata University, 2-8050 Ikarashi, Nishiku, Niigata, 950-2181, Japan
| | - Yohei Fujishima
- b Graduate School of Health Sciences Hirosaki University, 66-1 Honcho, Hirosaki, 036-8564, Japan
| | - Akifumi Nakata
- c Division of Life Science, Hokkaido Pharmaceutical University School of Pharmacy, 7-15-4-1 Maeda, Teine, Sapporo, 006-8590, Japan; and
| | - Kosuke Kasai
- b Graduate School of Health Sciences Hirosaki University, 66-1 Honcho, Hirosaki, 036-8564, Japan
| | | | | | | | - Hisashi Shinoda
- e Graduate School of Dentistry, Tohoku University, 4-1 Seiryo-machi, Aobaku, Sendai, 980-8575, Japan
| | - Tomisato Miura
- b Graduate School of Health Sciences Hirosaki University, 66-1 Honcho, Hirosaki, 036-8564, Japan
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Aliyu AS, Evangeliou N, Mousseau TA, Wu J, Ramli AT. An overview of current knowledge concerning the health and environmental consequences of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2015; 85:213-28. [PMID: 26425805 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2015.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2015] [Revised: 09/15/2015] [Accepted: 09/17/2015] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Since 2011, the scientific community has worked to identify the exact transport and deposition patterns of radionuclides released from the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) in Japan. Nevertheless, there still remain many unknowns concerning the health and environmental impacts of these radionuclides. The present paper reviews the current understanding of the FDNPP accident with respect to interactions of the released radionuclides with the environment and impacts on human and non-human biota. Here, we scrutinize existing literature and combine and interpret observations and modeling assessments derived after Fukushima. Finally, we discuss the behavior and applications of radionuclides that might be used as tracers of environmental processes. This review focuses on (137)Cs and (131)I releases derived from Fukushima. Published estimates suggest total release amounts of 12-36.7PBq of (137)Cs and 150-160PBq of (131)I. Maximum estimated human mortality due to the Fukushima nuclear accident is 10,000 (due to all causes) and the maximum estimates for lifetime cancer mortality and morbidity are 1500 and 1800, respectively. Studies of plants and animals in the forests of Fukushima have recorded a range of physiological, developmental, morphological, and behavioral consequences of exposure to radioactivity. Some of the effects observed in the exposed populations include the following: hematological aberrations in Fukushima monkeys; genetic, developmental and morphological aberrations in a butterfly; declines in abundances of birds, butterflies and cicadas; aberrant growth forms in trees; and morphological abnormalities in aphids. These findings are discussed from the perspective of conservation biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu
- Department of Physics, Nasarawa State University Keffi, P.M.B 1022 Keffi, Nigeria; Department of Physics, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Johor Baru, Malaysia.
| | - Nikolaos Evangeliou
- Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU), Department of Atmospheric and Climate Research (ATMOS), Kjeller, Norway
| | - Timothy Alexander Mousseau
- Environment and Sustainability Program, and Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, United States; Faculty of Biotechnology, Chubu University, Kasugai, Japan
| | - Junwen Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Ahmad Termizi Ramli
- Department of Physics, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Johor Baru, Malaysia
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Assessment of radiocesium contamination in frogs 18 months after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. Sci Rep 2015; 5:9712. [PMID: 25857262 PMCID: PMC4392359 DOI: 10.1038/srep09712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2014] [Accepted: 03/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigated the accumulation of radionuclides in frogs inhabiting radioactively contaminated areas around Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) to search for possible adverse effects due to radionuclides. We collected 5 frog species and soil samples in areas within and outside a 20-km radius from FDNPP in August and September 2012 and determined their radiocesium concentrations ((134)Cs and (137)Cs). There was a positive correlation between radiocesium concentrations in the soil samples and frogs, and the highest concentration in frogs was 47,278.53 Bq/kg-wet. Although we conducted a histological examination of frog ovaries and testes by light microscopy to detect possible effects of radionuclides on the morphology of germ cells, there were no clear abnormalities in the gonadal tissues of frogs collected from sites with different contamination levels.
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Bonisoli-Alquati A, Koyama K, Tedeschi DJ, Kitamura W, Sukuzi H, Ostermiller S, Arai E, Møller AP, Mousseau TA. Abundance and genetic damage of barn swallows from Fukushima. Sci Rep 2015; 5:9432. [PMID: 25838205 PMCID: PMC5381690 DOI: 10.1038/srep09432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2014] [Accepted: 02/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
A number of studies have assessed or modeled the distribution of the radionuclides released by the accident at the Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP). Few studies however have investigated its consequences for the local biota. We tested whether exposure of barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) nestlings to low dose ionizing radiation increased genetic damage to their peripheral erythrocytes. We estimated external radiation exposure by using thermoluminescent dosimeters, and by measuring radioactivity of the nest material. We then assessed DNA damage by means of the neutral comet assay. In addition, we conducted standard point-count censuses of barn swallows across environmental radiation levels, and estimated their abundance and local age ratio. Radioactivity of nest samples was in the range 479-143,349 Bq kg(-1), while external exposure varied between 0.15 and 4.9 mGy. Exposure to radioactive contamination did not correlate with higher genetic damage in nestlings. However, at higher levels of radioactive contamination the number of barn swallows declined and the fraction of juveniles decreased, indicating lower survival and lower reproduction and/or fledging rate. Thus, genetic damage to nestlings does not explain the decline of barn swallows in contaminated areas, and a proximate mechanism for the demographic effects documented here remains to be clarified.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Bonisoli-Alquati
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - K. Koyama
- Japan Bird Research Association, Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan
| | - D. J. Tedeschi
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - W. Kitamura
- Faculty of Environmental Studies, Tokyo City University, Yokohama City, Japan
| | - H. Sukuzi
- Value Frontier Co., Ltd., Minato, Tokyo, Japan
| | - S. Ostermiller
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - E. Arai
- Division of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - A. P. Møller
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie, Systématique et Evolution, CNRS UMR 8079, Université Paris-Sud, Bâtiment 362, F-91405 Orsay Cedex, France
| | - T. A. Mousseau
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
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Takahara T, Endo S, Takada M, Oba Y, Nursal WI, Igawa T, Doi H, Yamada T, Okuda T. Radiocesium accumulation in the anuran frog, Rana tagoi tagoi, in forest ecosystems after the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accident. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2015; 199:89-94. [PMID: 25638689 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2015.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2014] [Revised: 01/23/2015] [Accepted: 01/24/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Amphibians are key components in forest food webs. When examining radioactive contamination in anurans, it is important to understand how radiocesium transfer occurs from lower to higher trophic levels in forest ecosystems. We investigated the activity concentration of radiocesium ((134)Cs and (137)Cs) in Tago's brown frog (Rana tagoi tagoi) captured on the forest floor approximately 2.5 years after the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) accident. We collected 66 R. tagoi tagoi at different distances from the FNPP. Radiocesium accumulation showed positive correlations with the air radiation dose rate and litter contamination but not with distance from the FNPP. Whole-body radioactivity showed no correlation with body mass or length. Our results suggest that differences in the available food items result in large variability in individual contamination. Contamination level monitoring in terrestrial and aquatic amphibian is necessary for clarifying the processes and mechanisms of radiocesium transfer through forest food webs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teruhiko Takahara
- Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-7-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8521, Japan.
| | - Satoru Endo
- Graduate School of Engineering, Hiroshima University, 1-4-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8527, Japan
| | - Momo Takada
- Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-7-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8521, Japan
| | - Yurika Oba
- Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-7-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8521, Japan
| | - Wim Ikbal Nursal
- Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-7-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8521, Japan
| | - Takeshi Igawa
- Graduate School of International Development and Cooperation, Hiroshima University, 1-5-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8529, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Doi
- Institute for Sustainable Sciences and Development, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8530, Japan
| | - Toshihiro Yamada
- Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-7-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8521, Japan
| | - Toshinori Okuda
- Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-7-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8521, Japan
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Taira W, Nohara C, Hiyama A, Otaki JM. Fukushima's Biological Impacts: The Case of the Pale Grass Blue Butterfly. J Hered 2014; 105:710-22. [DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esu013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Low blood cell counts in wild Japanese monkeys after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. Sci Rep 2014; 4:5793. [PMID: 25060710 PMCID: PMC5376057 DOI: 10.1038/srep05793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2014] [Accepted: 06/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In April 2012 we carried out a 1-year hematological study on a population of wild Japanese monkeys inhabiting the forest area of Fukushima City. This area is located 70 km from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), which released a large amount of radioactive material into the environment following the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011. For comparison, we examined monkeys inhabiting the Shimokita Peninsula in Aomori Prefecture, located approximately 400 km from the NPP. Total muscle cesium concentration in Fukushima monkeys was in the range of 78–1778 Bq/kg, whereas the level of cesium was below the detection limit in all Shimokita monkeys. Compared with Shimokita monkeys, Fukushima monkeys had significantly low white and red blood cell counts, hemoglobin, and hematocrit, and the white blood cell count in immature monkeys showed a significant negative correlation with muscle cesium concentration. These results suggest that the exposure to some form of radioactive material contributed to hematological changes in Fukushima monkeys.
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Nohara C, Hiyama A, Taira W, Tanahara A, Otaki JM. The biological impacts of ingested radioactive materials on the pale grass blue butterfly. Sci Rep 2014; 4:4946. [PMID: 24844938 PMCID: PMC4027884 DOI: 10.1038/srep04946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2014] [Accepted: 04/22/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
A massive amount of radioactive materials has been released into the environment by the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, but its biological impacts have rarely been examined. Here, we have quantitatively evaluated the relationship between the dose of ingested radioactive cesium and mortality and abnormality rates using the pale grass blue butterfly, Zizeeria maha. When larvae from Okinawa, which is likely the least polluted locality in Japan, were fed leaves collected from polluted localities, mortality and abnormality rates increased sharply at low doses in response to the ingested cesium dose. This dose-response relationship was best fitted by power function models, which indicated that the half lethal and abnormal doses were 1.9 and 0.76 Bq per larva, corresponding to 54,000 and 22,000 Bq per kilogram body weight, respectively. Both the retention of radioactive cesium in a pupa relative to the ingested dose throughout the larval stage and the accumulation of radioactive cesium in a pupa relative to the activity concentration in a diet were highest at the lowest level of cesium ingested. We conclude that the risk of ingesting a polluted diet is realistic, at least for this butterfly, and likely for certain other organisms living in the polluted area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiyo Nohara
- The BCPH Unit of Molecular Physiology, Department of Chemistry, Biology and Marine Science, Faculty of Science
| | - Atsuki Hiyama
- The BCPH Unit of Molecular Physiology, Department of Chemistry, Biology and Marine Science, Faculty of Science
| | - Wataru Taira
- The BCPH Unit of Molecular Physiology, Department of Chemistry, Biology and Marine Science, Faculty of Science
| | - Akira Tanahara
- Instrumental Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan
| | - Joji M. Otaki
- The BCPH Unit of Molecular Physiology, Department of Chemistry, Biology and Marine Science, Faculty of Science
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