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Page added on December 3, 2015
Higher levels of Fukushima cesium detected
Scientists monitoring the spread of radiation in the ocean from the Fukushima nuclear accident report finding an increased number of sites off the US West Coast showing signs of contamination from Fukushima. This includes the highest detected level to date from a sample collected about 1,600 miles west of San Francisco. The level of radioactive cesium isotopes in the sample, 11 Becquerel’s per cubic meter of seawater (about 264 gallons), is 50 percent higher than other samples collected along the West Coast so far, but is still more than 500 times lower than US government safety limits for drinking water, and well below limits of concern for direct exposure while swimming, boating, or other recreational activities.
Ken Buesseler, a marine radiochemist with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and director of the WHOI Center for Marine and Environmental Radioactivity, was among the first to begin monitoring radiation in the Pacific, organizing a research expedition to the Northwest Pacific near Japan just three months after the accident that started in March 2011. Through a citizen science sampling effort, Our Radioactive Ocean, that he launched in 2014, as well as research funded by the National Science Foundation, Buesseler and his colleagues are using sophisticated sensors to look for minute levels of ocean-borne radioactivity from Fukushima. In 2015, they have added more than 110 new samples in the Pacific to the more than 135 previously collected and posted on the Our Radioactive Ocean web site.
“These new data are important for two reasons,” said Buesseler. “First, despite the fact that the levels of contamination off our shores remain well below government-established safety limits for human health or to marine life, the changing values underscore the need to more closely monitor contamination levels across the Pacific. Second, these long-lived radioisotopes will serve as markers for years to come for scientists studying ocean currents and mixing in coastal and offshore waters.”
The recent findings reported by Buesseler agree with those reported by scientists who are part of the group Kelp Watch and by the team of Canadian scientists working under the InFORM umbrella. While Buesseler’s work focuses on ocean chemistry and does not involve sampling of biological organisms, the InFORM scientists have done sampling of fish and have not seen any Fukushima cesium in fish collected in British Columbia.
Almost any seawater sample from the Pacific will show traces of cesium-137, an isotope of cesium with a 30-year half-life, some of which is left over from nuclear weapons testing carried out in the 1950s to 1970s. The isotope cesium-134 is the “fingerprint” of Fukushima, but, with a 2-year half-life, it decays much quicker than cesium-137. Scientists back calculate traces of cesium-134 to determine how much was actually released from Fukushima in 2011 and add to it an equal amount of cesium-137 that would have been released at the same time.
Working with Japanese colleagues, Buesseler also continues to independently monitor the ongoing leaks from Fukushima Dai-ichi by collecting samples from as close as one kilometer (one-half mile) away from the nuclear power plants. During his most recent trip this October they collected samples of ocean water, marine organisms, seafloor sediment and groundwater along the coast near the reactors. Buesseler says the levels of radioactivity off Fukushima remain elevated – some 10 to 100 times higher than off the US West Coast today, and he is working with colleagues at WHOI to try to determine how much radioactive material is still being released to the ocean each day.
“Levels today off Japan are thousands of times lower than during the peak releases in 2011. That said, finding values that are still elevated off Fukushima confirms that there is continued release from the plant,” said Buesseler.
Buesseler will present his latest findings on the spread of Fukushima radiation at the American Geophysical Union conference in San Francisco on Dec. 14, 2015.
15 Comments on "Higher levels of Fukushima cesium detected"
Kenz300 on Thu, 3rd Dec 2015 7:02 pm
Nuclear energy is too costly and too dangerous…….
How can Nuclear plants be protected from terrorists today that want to end all humanity……
Fukishima and Chernobyl are two good examples of the cost of clean up and storing of nuclear waste…… the technology to clean up those disasters does not even exist………. The 40 year clean up plan for Fukishima
admits the technology to do the job will still need to be developed.
There has been no clean up of Chernobyl…..only containment… a bigger dome over the last crumbling dome. 25 years later…………
How much will it cost to store nuclear waste FOREVER and who will pay for it?
Seconds From Disaster – Meltdown at Chernobyl – FULL – NuclearAdvisor.com – YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WGUbfzr31s
makati1 on Thu, 3rd Dec 2015 7:15 pm
Multiply that by 400+ and you get a picture of our future. Cancer deaths are growing (pardon the pun) as we consume more and more microscopic bits of radiation. That radiation has the same half-life whether it is in the muck on the ocean floor, a sardine, tuna, salmon, or … you.
“Swedish reactors face increased waste fees”
“Fukushima OKs disposal site for radioactive waste within prefecture”
“Germany’s RWE splits to better absorb cost of nuclear plant closures”
“Nuclear crossroad: California reactors face uncertain future”
“Kansai Electric seeks to operate aging reactor beyond 40-year limit”
“Japan eyes greater government role in nuclear fuel recycling”
And on and on…
jjhman on Thu, 3rd Dec 2015 8:51 pm
Here’s my favorite nuclear power story:
In the 1970s I worked for General Atomic, at the time a division of Gulf Oil. We built a plant in Ft. St. Vrain,Colorado.
All of the operators were hired locally and trained by GA staff. Most were from agricultural backgrounds and were “fully trained” before the following incident occurred. As part of final hand-off testing an electrical engineer was checking voltages on control rod systems and accidentelly shorted two wires together.
A few days previous a clean up crew had freshly painted the diesel generators that provided standby power in case of a reactor scram (rapid shutdown). Some facility designer had placed the emergency generators adjacent to the control room venilation air intake.
-When the short occurred the reactor scrammed.
-The emergency generators started up as planned. Unfortunately the painters had painted the exhaust manifolds on the generators which immediatly started boiling off smoke as the paint burned.
-The paint entered the air intake and, subsequently, the control room.
-The operators ran out of the building, got in their cars and left the premises.
GA personnel were left to complete the orderly shutdown.
Which, to me, proves that you cannot trust humans with this kind of technology. At least 5 separate human errors were involved. Only because the plant hadn’t been turned over to the utility and GA engineering staff were present was a disaster averted.
I think most analysts would tell you that five separate errors causing such a problem were highly unlikely. However with such complex technology it isn’t unlikely at all.
Davy on Fri, 4th Dec 2015 12:46 am
Great story JJ, and it points to a Pandora catch 22. It appears our best energy sources we now rely on our killing us or could or will cause catastrophic death. Nuk power and all fossil fuels fit this category. All other energy sources are completely dependent on fossil fuels. If we end their use as would be wise an order of magnitude of the population appear not to be supportable. Even reductions in fossil fuels will kill the economy and by extension kill people. We are stuck with the waste stream of NUK. A waste stream that requires a complex modern economy to maintain. Hydro and renewables cannot get us out of the Pandora catch 22.
If there is a solution it would be to simplify and power down so we don’t need more of these problems. This appears to not be an option because either we can’t live without fossil fuels or we won’t with NUK because some think we need NUK to replace fossil fuels. It seems once a technology gets out into the general economy it never leaves even if it is potentially catastrophic. Any solutions that call for simplicity and power down will lead to crisis of economy and population.
It becomes similar to a life boat situation where we have food, water, and maximum boat capacity. All of these are exceeded. In this case there is no rescue boat as a variable. We are afloat in a sea of trouble. Do we keep all alive now or allow some to die to lengthen the life of others? Do we kill some to lengthen life for others since no one will agree to voluntarily end their life? We have a time value decision and a human life value determination. We have an issue of privilege, power, and control.
In our situation I personally believe we should go into crisis as soon as possible and hope for a long emergency. We need to power down and simplify but under no illusion that we can continue the status quo of maintaining 7BIL people. Status quo prosperity must end with all people living vastly lower living standards. This will not happen by a conscious decision although it could be a hybrid affair. It will be forced upon us and will happen.
When it is forced upon us we can try to make good decisions and begin to end the worse of the current lifestyles, attitudes, and inequality. To be able to make good decisions we have to know what good decisions are. This is a profound problem currently and I am not sure if the problem of what a good decisions is can be solved. It is vital it get solved though if we care about survival. In the lifeboat situation we know how important good decisions would be with food, water, and order.
If people are dying how can we allow privilege? Take our lifeboat situation can we allow 3 meals a day for a select few when some are getting nothing? I doubt inequality will ever be solved between nations but within nations it must at least be dealt with. How can we allow poor lifestyles and attitudes if they are causing more crisis? In our life boat situation how can people be allowed to throw parties when food and water are in short supply? Can we maintain free speech, private property, and freedom of movement?
Tough decisions will be made eventually. My thoughts are start them now. Others will say no, things are fine and no changes are needed. Still others will say no I am fine I don’t want to change. Nature will force decisions. All of us rely on each other at this point. We are all on a life boat called earth. I am not sure we can make these trade-offs between nations. I am not sure within many nations they can be made. Can we do them at the local level and within our families? Maybe some.
We will soon see the true worth of modern man. Are we a species destine for extinction at our own hands? Are we an evolutionary dead end in action? We will soon have that answer. It is by no means certain but I am not optimistic.
dave thompson on Fri, 4th Dec 2015 10:29 am
If there are any fish left in the oceans being caught and sold today, might be a good idea to go vegan and avoid not only the methyl mercury but also the possibility of radiation contamination.
Rodster on Fri, 4th Dec 2015 11:25 am
I read a story on Zero Hedge where China wants to build over a hundred new nuclear power plants “fast and cheap” in the next decade. Think Chinese drywall !
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2015/10/22/china-shows-how-to-build-nuclear-reactors-fast-and-cheap/
HARM on Fri, 4th Dec 2015 1:21 pm
“Buesseler says the levels of radioactivity off Fukushima remain elevated – some 10 to 100 times higher than off the US West Coast today… Levels today off Japan are thousands of times lower than during the peak releases in 2011.”
“Everyone REMAIN CLAM. All is well.”
http://www.rescuepost.com/.a/6a00d8357f3f2969e20133edb2d5e7970b-pi
HARM on Fri, 4th Dec 2015 1:22 pm
Nuclear!: We’re f**ked if we don’t and f**ked if we do.
makati1 on Fri, 4th Dec 2015 7:01 pm
Rodster, you do know that GE designed the Fukushima reactors, don’t you?
“Fukushima was the first nuclear plant to be designed, constructed and run in conjunction with General Electric, Boise, and Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO).”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_Daiichi_Nuclear_Power_Plant
“The Three Mile Island Unit 1 is a pressurized water reactor designed by Babcock and Wilcox (US)”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Mile_Island_Nuclear_Generating_Station
Glass houses and stones…
chilyb on Fri, 4th Dec 2015 9:55 pm
where is that guy to tell us this is only a little bit of radiation?
Davy on Sat, 5th Dec 2015 6:59 am
Rodster, you are correct with the frightening thought of China building out so many Nuk plants so fast. It is likely just another Chinese pipedream but it is clear too many will be built. China is a clear and present danger to the world at all levels ranking at the same level at the US and Russia.
onlooker on Sat, 5th Dec 2015 1:18 pm
“Nuclear!: We’re f**ked if we don’t and f**ked if we do.”
Totally agree.
peakyeast on Sat, 5th Dec 2015 2:02 pm
It is not a coincidence that mutants are green.
According to the pro-nuke people radioactive pollution is not only harmless – it makes people green.
No-more 2-legged SUVs !!
🙂
SilentRunning on Sun, 6th Dec 2015 1:11 pm
I’m *THAT GUY* who is here to tell you that the radiation levels detected really are tiny. How tiny? Well if you were to drink that ENTIRE cubic meter of seawater (1000 liters, or 264 gallons – NOT recommended in itself!), you would ingest an extra 11 Bq of radioactive Cs from Fukushima. That would add to your already existing 4,400 Bq of radiation from naturally occurring Potassium 40 that’s already in your body. Yep – that’s right – you would increase your body radiation level by a staggering 0.25%
SilentRunning on Sun, 6th Dec 2015 1:24 pm
I’m sorry – I lied. If you drank the entire cubic meter of water you WOULD significantly increase your bodies’ radioactive burden – but not from the Fukushima Cesium. It turns out that cubic meter of seawater contains 400 grams of natural Potassium – and natural Potassium is slightly radioactive to the tune of 31 Bq per gram. So the radioactivity of a cubic liter of seawater NATURALLY is about 12,400 Bq!!!!! Why do we never hear about this RADIOACTIVE MENACE that has been lapping on our shores for billions of years! Where is the panic! The hysteria! Why isn’t everything in the ocean dead??? Indeed, how did life ever get started in such a seething radioactive cauldron of certain doom???