Investigation of spatial distribution of radiocesium in a paddy field as a potential sink

PLoS One. 2013 Nov 15;8(11):e80794. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080794. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Surface soils, under various land uses, were contaminated by radionuclides that were released by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. Because paddy fields are one of the main land uses in Japan, we investigated the spatial distribution of radiocesium and the influence of irrigation water in a paddy field during cultivation. Soil core samples collected at a paddy field in Fukushima showed that plowing had disturbed the original depth distribution of radiocesium. The horizontal distribution of radiocesium did not show any evidence for significant influence of radiocesium from irrigation water, and its accumulation within the paddy field, since the original amount of radiocesium was much larger than was added into the paddy field by irrigation water. However, it is possible that rainfall significantly increases the loading of radiocesium.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Agriculture
  • Cesium Radioisotopes*
  • Fukushima Nuclear Accident*
  • Japan
  • Rain
  • Soil / chemistry
  • Soil Pollutants, Radioactive*
  • Spatial Analysis
  • Water / chemistry

Substances

  • Cesium Radioisotopes
  • Soil
  • Soil Pollutants, Radioactive
  • Water

Grants and funding

This study was supported by a Grant-in-Aid of Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science & Technology, Japan (No. 24110008). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.