Fukushima and Chernobyl: similarities and differences of radiocesium
fate and transport in soil-water environment
Abstract
The ease with which radionuclide moves through the environment and is
taken up by plants and animals is determined by its speciation and
site-specific environmental characteristics. The peculiarities in
climate, geomorphology and 137Cs speciation in the
fallout were demonstrated to lead to differences in migration rates of
137Cs in the environment and rates of its natural
attenuation. It has been revealed that in the exclusion zone the
Fukushima-derived 137Cs is strongly bound to soil and
sediment particles, which reduces potential bioavailability of this
radionuclide. Substantial fraction of the deposited
137Cs on soil of the exclusion zone were found to be
incorporated in hot glassy particles (“Cs balls”) insoluble in water.
These particles are decomposing in the environment essentially slower as
compared with Chernobyl derived fuel particles. Wash-off from the slopes
of contaminated catchments and river transport are key long-term
pathways for radionuclide dispersal from contaminated areas after the
Fukushima accident. The climate conditions for the Fukushima Prefecture
of Japan are characterized by higher annual precipitation (1300-1800
mm/year) with maximum rainstorm events during typhoon season. Typhoons
Etou in 2015 and Hagibis in 2019 demonstrated the substantial
redistribution of 137Cs on river watersheds and
floodplains and in some cases natural self-decontamination occurred.
Steep slopes of Fukushima catchments are conducive to higher erosion and
higher particulate r-Cs wash-off. Irrigation ponds in Okuma and Futaba
towns demonstrated persistent behavior of 137Cs
similar to the closed lakes in Chernobyl, its concentration is
decreasing slowly and showing regular seasonal variations: the
137Cs concentrations tend to grow in the summer and
decrease in the winter.