[ RadSafe ] Manchester University Study - New evidence of nuclear fuel releases found at Fukushima

Thu Mar 1 01:31:04 CST 2018

the actual research report is here

Uranium Dioxides and Debris Fragments Released to the Environment with
Cesium-Rich Microparticles from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant
Asumi Ochiai <https://pubs.acs.org/author/Ochiai%2C+Asumi>†, Junpei Imoto
<https://pubs.acs.org/author/Imoto%2C+Junpei>†, Mizuki Suetake
<https://pubs.acs.org/author/Suetake%2C+Mizuki>†, Tatsuki Komiya
<https://pubs.acs.org/author/Komiya%2C+Tatsuki>†, Genki Furuki
<https://pubs.acs.org/author/Furuki%2C+Genki>†, Ryohei Ikehara
<https://pubs.acs.org/author/Ikehara%2C+Ryohei>†, Shinya Yamasaki
<https://pubs.acs.org/author/Yamasaki%2C+Shinya>‡, Gareth T. W. Law
<https://pubs.acs.org/author/Law%2C+Gareth+T+W>§
<http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2320-6330>, Toshihiko Ohnuki
<https://pubs.acs.org/author/Ohnuki%2C+Toshihiko>∥, Bernd Grambow
<https://pubs.acs.org/author/Grambow%2C+Bernd>⊥, Rodney C. Ewing
<https://pubs.acs.org/author/Ewing%2C+Rodney+C>#, and Satoshi Utsunomiya
<https://pubs.acs.org/author/Utsunomiya%2C+Satoshi>*
<https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/acs.est.7b06309#cor1>†
<http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6197-9705>
† Department of Chemistry, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku,
Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
‡ Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences and Center for Research in Isotopes
and Environmental Dynamics, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba,
Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
§ Centre for Radiochemistry Research, School of Chemistry, The University
of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
∥ Laboratory for Advanced Nuclear Energy, Institute of Innovative
Research, Tokyo
Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
⊥ SUBATECH, IMT Atlantique, CNRS-IN2P3, University of Nantes, Nantes 44307,
France
# Department of Geological Sciences and Center for International Security
and Cooperation, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-2115, United
States
Environ. Sci. Technol., Article ASAP
*DOI: *10.1021/acs.est.7b06309
Publication Date (Web): January 29, 2018
Copyright © 2018 American Chemical Society
*E-mail: utsunomiya.satoshi.998 at m.kyushu-u.ac.jp.

On Wed, Feb 28, 2018 at 11:20 PM, Roger Helbig <rwhelbig at gmail.com> wrote:

> http://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/new-evidence-of-
> nuclear-fuel-releases-found-at-fukushima/ is original Manchester
> University article
>
> New evidence of nuclear fuel releases found at Fukushima
>
> by dunrenard
> February 28, 2018
>
> "Our research strongly suggests there is a need for further detailed
> investigation on Fukushima fuel debris, inside, and potentially outside the
> nuclear exclusion zone," said Dr Gareth Law.
>
> Uranium and other radioactive materials, such as caesium and technetium,
> have been found in tiny particles released from the damaged Fukushima
> Daiichi nuclear reactors.
> This could mean the environmental impact from the fallout may last much
> longer than previously expected according to a new study by a team of
> international researchers, including scientists from The University of
> Manchester.
> The team says that, for the first time, the fallout of Fukushima Daiichi
> nuclear reactor fuel debris into the surrounding environment has been
> "explicitly revealed" by the study.
> The scientists have been looking at extremely small pieces of debris,
> known as micro-particles, which were released into the environment during
> the initial disaster in 2011. The researchers discovered uranium from
> nuclear fuel embedded in or associated with caesium-rich micro particles
> that were emitted from the plant's reactors during the meltdowns. The
> particles found measure just five micrometres or less; approximately 20
> times smaller than the width of a human hair. The size of the particles
> means humans could inhale them.
> The reactor debris fragments were found inside the nuclear exclusion zone,
> in paddy soils and at an abandoned aquaculture centre, located several
> kilometres from the nuclear plant.
> It was previously thought that only volatile, gaseous radionuclides such
> as caesium and iodine were released from the damaged reactors. Now it is
> becoming clear that small, solid particles were also emitted, and that some
> of these particles contain very long-lived radionuclides; for example,
> uranium has a half-life of billions of years.
> Dr Gareth Law, Senior Lecturer in Analytical Radiochemistry at the
> University of Manchester and an author on the paper, says: "Our research
> strongly suggests there is a need for further detailed investigation on
> Fukushima fuel debris, inside, and potentially outside the nuclear
> exclusion zone. Whilst it is extremely difficult to get samples from such
> an inhospitable environment, further work will enhance our understanding of
> the long-term behaviour of the fuel debris nano-particles and their impact."
> The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) is currently responsible for the
> clean-up and decommissioning process at the Fukushima Daiichi site and in
> the surrounding exclusion zone. Dr Satoshi Utsunomiya, Associate Professor
> at Kyushu University (Japan) led the study.
> He added: "Having better knowledge of the released microparticles is also
> vitally important as it provides much needed data on the status of the
> melted nuclear fuels in the damaged reactors. This will provide extremely
> useful information for TEPCO's decommissioning strategy."
> At present, chemical data on the fuel debris located within the damaged
> nuclear reactors is impossible to get due to the high levels of radiation.
> The microparticles found by the international team of researchers will
> provide vital clues on the decommissioning challenges that lie ahead.
>
> Story Source:
> Materials provided by Manchester University. Note: Content may be edited
> for style and length.
>
> Journal Reference:
> 1. Asumi Ochiai, Junpei Imoto, Mizuki Suetake, Tatsuki Komiya, Genki
> Furuki, Ryohei Ikehara, Shinya Yamasaki, Gareth T. W. Law, Toshihiko
> Ohnuki, Bernd Grambow, Rodney C. Ewing, Satoshi Utsunomiya. Uranium
> Dioxides and Debris Fragments Released to the Environment with Cesium-Rich
> Microparticles from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.
> Environmental Science & Technology, 2018; DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b06309
>
> Source : https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/02/180228092241.htm
>
> dunrenard | March 1, 2018 at 3:55 am | Tags: Contamination, Fukushima
> Radiation, Microparticles, Nuclear Fuel | Categories: Fukushima 2018 | URL:
> https://wp.me/phgse-zmW
>
> http://nuclear-news.net/2018/03/01/new-evidence-of-nuclear-
> fuel-releases-found-at-fukushima/
>
>