Comments on: Geology graduates investigate Fukushima-derived radioactivity in Hawaiʻi

By: Henrietta Dulai

Henrietta Dulai — Wed, 22 Feb 2017 20:39:32 +0000

In reply to Justin otte. The work mentioned above is now available in journal publications http://manoa.hawaii.edu/undergrad/horizons/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/McKenzie-Trista.pdf and https://pacificscience.files.wordpress.com/2016/12/pac-sci-early-view-71-2-1-1.pdf Other than that we have been continuing our 6-month ocean sampling that has not yet shown the presence of Fukushima-derived cesium in the ocean near Hawaii.

By: Justin otte

Justin otte — Wed, 22 Feb 2017 13:52:36 +0000

Any follow up to this story ? 6 years later? Just curious 🙂

By: Henrietta Dulai

Henrietta Dulai — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 22:01:10 +0000

Cesium concentrations measured in soil in Bq/kg were converted to Bq/m2 using soil bulk densities measured for each soil sample. This way it is possible to estimate the total inventory of deposited cesium per area. It is common to express these quantities in units of Bq/m2 in the scientific literature. For reference these soils samples had 2 to 3 times as much naturally occurring radioactive potassium than cesium. Bioaccumulation was addressed by looking at mushroom cesium concentrations - you can read about it more in Trista's thesis:http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/GG/resources/theses/McKenzie_Trista_Senior_Thesis.pdf and details about the fish study can be found here: http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/GG/resources/theses/Azouz_Senior_Thesis.pdf There are no limits for soil Cs content, only for fish, so the 300 Bq/kg limit relates to fish consumption.

By: Ryan Hopkins

Ryan Hopkins — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 13:59:51 +0000

Has there been any study of whether there has been a bioaccumulation effect of these radioactive materials on bottom-feeding ocean animals, or plants like bananas (containing potassium), taro (containing magnesium and calcium) and seaweeds (containing iodine and iron) grown in Hawaii? These elements can be selectively replaced by cesium, strontium and other fallout isotopes.

Is �鶹��ýManoa’s new Cray being employed to mine the dispersion data and give an ongoing simulation of the continual dispersion of fresh waste water?

The continual fumbling on Tepco’s part is utterly irresponsible. Where is the worldwide aid effort to use the most advanced tools at our collective fingertips to quickly find a solution to this problem?

By: Michael Mann

Michael Mann — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 09:02:50 +0000

How did you measure Bq/m2 of soil? Should it be per cubic meter which is volume not area? There are some who would attempt to scare people with your findings, could you put some real world examples of radioactivity levels commonly found in items like coffee bananas or nuts? Thank you!

By: Phil

Phil — Sat, 04 Jun 2016 17:10:05 +0000

Why confuse people?

You go from: “The FDA-accepted intervention limit for cesium isotope intake is 300 Bq/kg ”

To:
McKenzie found cesium inventories were not high—up to 1,200 Bq/m2 cesium in Hawaiʻi soils compared to 200,000 Bq/m2

By: Inyourface

Inyourface — Sat, 04 Jun 2016 13:19:21 +0000

The only problem with your study is your just measuring Cesium. What about plutonium, uranium, cobalt 60, strontium and over 1000 other isotopes ?

And the contamination will never stop because Tepco is dumping 400 tons of radiation per day into the pacific and will be until the end of time. All your rain comes from the Pacific Ocean so yo are screwed along with the rest of us. Google Seattle hot particles Hillary Clinton and read her top secret email on Fukushima where she was warned to shelter indoors while the rest of us got irradiated.