Influence of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear accident on Spanish environmental radioactivity levels

This paper presents measurements of the effect of the atmospheric radioactive release from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power station at three sites belonging to the Spanish environmental monitoring system. Measured values varied depending on the locations of the sites in Spain and their respective climatic characteristics. Cs-134, Cs-136, Cs-137, I-131, and Te-132 activity concentrations in filter samples were studied and associated levels of I-131 fallout were estimated from wet and dry deposition. Particulate aerosol activity concentrations ranges, in mu Bq/m(3), were 1.63-3080 (I-131), 2.8-690 (Cs-137), 1.3-620 (Cs-134) and 3.6-330 (Te-132), while the associated I-131 fallout was roughly estimated to be less than 20 Bq/m(2), Gaseous I-131 was also detected and the I-131-gaseous/I-131-total ratio increased at the three stations from approximately 0.75 at the end of March to 0.85-0.9 during the first few days of April. Finally, the presence of I-131 in some crucial parts of the food chain was also studied. I-131 was detected in samples from goat's and cow's milk (maximum levels of 1.11 Bq/L) and in broadleaf plants (maximum level 1.42 Bq/kg). (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.