Radioecological indexes of fallout measurements from the Fukushima nuclear accident

• Published in: Ecological indicators 2013-02, Vol.25, p.197-199
• Main Authors: Manolopoulou, M., Stoulos, S., Ioannidou, A., Vagena, E., Papastefanou, C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 131I; 134Cs; 137Cs; air; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife; Eco-indexes; Fallout; Fukushima nuclear accident; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; grasses; ingestion; milk; Parks, reserves, wildlife conservation. Endangered species: population survey and restocking; radionuclides; Synecology
• ISSN: 1470-160X; 1872-7034
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2012.09.016

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, 2011. These 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.