Cesium-137 and 137Cs/133Cs atom ratios in marine zooplankton off the east coast of Japan during 2012-2020 following the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident

We measured the concentrations of cesium isotopes (Cs-133,Cs-134, and Cs-137) in zooplankton samples collected in waters off the east coast of Japan from May 2015 to June 2020. By combining these data with those obtained previously from May 2012 to February 2015, we evaluated the long-term impacts of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident on marine zooplankton. Relatively high Cs-137 concentrations in zooplankton, exceeding 10 Bq/kg-dry weight, were sporadically observed until June 2016, regardless of year or station. After May-June 2017, Cs-137 concentrations decreased to below 1 Bq/kg-dry at most stations, and by May 2020, concentrations were below 0.5 Bq/kg-dry except those off Fukushima Prefecture. Since the accident, the Cs-137/Cs-133 atom ratios of zooplankton samples were higher than those of ambient seawater until 2019, but in May-June 2020 the ratios matched those of seawater except off Fukushima Prefecture. Highly radioactive particles were not detected in zooplankton samples by autoradiography using imaging plates after May-June 2017, although they were before. Therefore, the persistence of elevated Cs-137/Cs-133 ratios in zooplankton relative to seawater for nine years after the accident was probably due to the incorporation of highly radioactive particles (cesium-bearing particles or clay-mineral aggregates with highly adsorbed radiocesium) onto/into zooplankton for several years after the accident. However, since at least May-June 2017, these elevated ratios have likely been caused by small highly radioactive particles (or larger particles disaggregated into small pieces) entering the ocean from land via rivers or directly discharged from the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant. Microplastics enriched with radiocesium with higher Cs-137/Cs-133 ratios than seawater may have also contributed Cs-137 to the zooplankton.

Automated summary

This study measured the concentrations of cesium isotopes in zooplankton samples collected off the east coast of Japan from 2012 to 2020 to evaluate the long-term effects of the Fukushima nuclear accident. The results showed that high concentrations of Cs-137 were sporadically observed in zooplankton until 2016, but decreased significantly after 2017. The elevated Cs-137/Cs-133 ratios in zooplankton relative to seawater can be attributed to the incorporation of highly radioactive particles and microplastics. The persistence of these elevated ratios highlights the ongoing impact of the nuclear accident on marine zooplankton.