Year-round variations in the fluvial transport load of particulate 137Cs in a forested catchment affected by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident

• Published in: Journal of radioanalytical and nuclear chemistry Vol. 310; no. 2; pp. 679 - 693
• Main Authors: Matsunaga, Takeshi, Nakanishi, Takahiro, Atarashi-Andoh, Mariko, Takeuchi, Erina, Muto, Kotomi, Tsuduki, Katsunori, Nishimura, Syusaku, Koarashi, Jun, Otosaka, Shigeyoshi, Sato, Tsutomu, Miyata, Yoshiki, Nagao, Seiya
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.11.2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Cesium 137; Cesium isotopes; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Clay minerals; Diagnostic Radiology; Geomorphology; Hadrons; Heavy Ions; Inorganic Chemistry; Nuclear accidents; Nuclear Chemistry; Nuclear Physics; Nuclear power plants; Physical Chemistry; Rainfall; Solid suspensions; Fukushima Japan; Japan; Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident; Forest; Seasonal variation; Suspended solids; Fluvial transport load; Radiocesium
• ISSN: 0236-5731; 1588-2780
• DOI: 10.1007/s10967-016-4840-3

Particulate 137 Cs was collected from stream water for 2 years to assess the long-term trend of 137 Cs discharge from a forest after the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accident. A seasonal increase in the fluvial transport load of particulate 137 Cs in suspended solids (SS) was observed in July–October when rainfall was abundant. The 137 Cs load was controlled by the SS load. This control was attributed to cesium affinity for phyllosilicate clay minerals as verified by the low extractability of particulate 137 Cs. These findings indicate the fluvial particulate 137 Cs load is significantly related to the climate and geomorphological features of Japan.