More than 1,000 Times the Normal Level of Radioactive Cesium on the Ocean Floor Off the Coast of #Fukushima I Nuke Plant

Radioactive iodine is also 100 times the normal level.

Kyodo News Japanese (5/3/2011):

　福島第１原発事故で東京電力は３日、原発近郊の深さ２０～３０メートルの海底の土から、通常の１００～千倍の濃 度の放射性物質を検出したと発表した。東電が海底の土を分析したのは事故後初めてで「高い濃度だ。環境への影響は、魚介類を採取して分析、評価したい」と している。

TEPCO announced on May 3 that the radioactive materials were found in high concentration from the ocean soil [on the ocean floor] at 20 to 30 meters deep near Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant. The concentration was 100 to 1000 times the normal level. It was the first time since the accident that TEPCO collected the soil samples from the ocean floor. TEPCO said the numbers were high, and it would conduct further environmental impact analysis by catching fish [and other seafood] and test them.

　土を採取したのは、第１原発の北約１５キロの福島県南相馬市と、南約２０キロの同県楢葉町の沖合３キロで、４月 ２９日に実施。放射性ヨウ素が１キログラム当たり９８～１９０ベクレル、セシウムは１キログラム当たり１２００～１４００ベクレルだった。通常はいずれも １キログラム当たり数ベクレルか、検出限界以下。

The locations where the ocean soil was taken are 3 kilometers off the coast of Minami-Soma City, 15 kilometers north of Fukushima I Nuke Plant, and Naraha-machi, 20 kilometers south of the Plant. The sample collection was done on April 29. Radioactive iodine was 98 to 190 becquerels/kilogram, and radioactive cesium was 1200 to 1400 becquerels/kilogram. Normally, they are detected at only a few becquerels/kilogram or ND (below detectable level).

　東電は、放射性物質は空気中に放出されたものが海に落ちたか、汚染水として流れて海底に沈んだとみている。今後、濃度が上昇しないか監視するとしている。

TEPCO thinks the radioactive materials fell from the air into the ocean, or they settled on the ocean floor after they were released in the contaminated water from the Plant. TEPCO will monitor to see if the levels go up.

　一方、文部科学省は第１原発の南約５０キロ地点の沖合約１０キロ、深さ１１７メートルの海底から４月２９日に土を採取して分析。放射性物質は検出されなかったと発表した。

Ministry of Education and Science announced its sampling data of the ocean soil taken on April 29 at 117 meter deep, 10 kilometers off the coast of a location 50 kilometers south of Fukushima I Nuke Plant; no radioactive materials were detected, according to the Ministry.

TEPCO's press release says it is still analyzing for other nuclides. Hopefully they are looking for strontium, plutonium, uranium, and a host of other nuclides we've become familiar with in the past month and a half. Don't hold your breath that the result will be announced anytime soon, though. TEPCO is disorganized, and the government wants to censor.

Here's the actual numbers from TEPCO's press release on May 3:

Location 1 (3 km off the coast of Odaka Ward, Minami-Soma)

• Iodine-131 (half life 8 days): 190 becquerels/kilogram

• Cesium-134 (half life 2 years): 1,300 becquerels/kilogram

• Cesium-137 (half life 30 years): 1,400 becquerels/kilogram

Location 2 (3 km off the coast of Iwasawa Beach, Naraha-machi)

• Iodine-131 (half life 8 days): 98 becquerels/kilogram

• Cesium-134 (half life 2 years): 1,200 becquerels/kilogram

• Cesium-137 (half life 30 years): 1,200 becquerels/kilogram

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