Observations of Fallout from the Fukushima Reactor Accident in Cienfuegos, Cuba

• Published in: Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology 2012-05, Vol.88 (5), p.752-754
• Main Authors: Alonso-Hernandez, Carlos M., Guillen-Arruebarrena, Aniel, Cartas-Aguila, Hector, Morera-Gomez, Yasser, Diaz-Asencio, Misael
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air Movements; Air Pollutants, Radioactive - analysis; Aquatic Pollution; Atmosphere - chemistry; Cuba; Disasters; Earth and Environmental Science; Earthquakes; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Fission products; Gamma rays; Health risks; Japan; Nuclear accidents & safety; Nuclear power plants; Nuclear reactors; Pollution; Radiation Monitoring; Radioactive Fallout - analysis; Radioactive Hazard Release; Radioactive pollution; Radioactivity; Reactors; Soil Science & Conservation; Tsunamis; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control
• ISSN: 0007-4861; 1432-0800
• DOI: 10.1007/s00128-012-0542-x

Following the recent accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan, radioactive contamination was observed near the reactor site. As a contribution towards the understanding of the worldwide impact of the accident, we collected fallout samples in Cienfuegos, Cuba, and examined them for the presence of above normal amounts of radioactivity. Gamma ray spectra measured from these samples showed clear evidence of fission products 131 I and 137 Cs. However, the fallout levels measured for these isotopes (135 ± 4.78 mBq m −2  day −1 for 131 I and 10.7 ± 0.38 mBq m −2  day −1 for 137 Cs) were very low and posed no health risk to the public. The doses received as consequence to the Fukushima fallout by the Cienfuegos population’s (0.002 mSv per year) don’t overcome the limit of dose (1 mSv per year) fixed for the public in Cuba.