4170 Bq/Kg of Radioactive Cesium in Crickets in Iitate-mura, Fukushima

A researcher (vice president) at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology collected 500 crickets (1 kilogram) in Iitate-mura in Fukushima Prefecture, and found 4,000 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium. He also tested locusts in different locations in Fukushima, and found radioactive cesium in them.

Bio-concentration at work. No information whether he tested other nuclides like radioactive silver (Ag-110m). Professor Bin Mori of Tokyo University found radioactive silver highly concentrated (1000 times the amount in the environment) in Nephila clavata he caught in Iitate-mura.

From Yomiuri Shinbun (1/12/2012):

東京電力福島第一原発事故で、原発から４０キロ離れた計画的避難区域内に生息するコオロギから１キロ・グラム（約５００匹）あたり４０００ベクレル以上の放射性セシウムが検出されたことが、東京農工大の普後一(ふごはじめ)副学長（昆虫生理学）の調査でわかった。

A survey conducted by Hajime Fugo, vice president of Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (specialty: insect physiology) found over 4,000 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium in crickets (500 of them that weigh about 1 kilogram) from within the planned evacuation zone 40 kilometers away from Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant.

　別の場所のイナゴからも最大２００ベクレルを検出した。

In another location, 200 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium was found from locusts.

　調査は、昨年１０月、原発から約４０キロほど離れた計画的避難区域の福島県飯舘村北部でコオロギ５００匹、６０～８０キロ離れた本宮市役所付近や須賀川市北部、桑折町役場付近、猪苗代町の猪苗代湖付近の水田でイナゴ計２０００匹を採集した。

The survey was done in October last year. 500 crickets were collected in the northern part of Iitate-mura in Fukushima Prefecture, which is in the planned evacuation zone 40 kilometers from the plant. 2,000 locusts were collected in locations 60 to 80 kilometers from the plant, including Motomiya City (around City Hall), northern part of Sukagawa City, Koori-machi (near Town Hall) and near Inawashiro Lake in Inawashiro-machi.

　飯舘村のコオロギからは１キロ・グラムあたり平均４１７０ベクレルを検出。須賀川市のイナゴは同１９６ベクレル、桑折町と本宮市は、それぞれ同８２ベクレルと７５ベクレルだった。

Average 4,170 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium was detected from crickets in Iitate-mura, 196 becquerels/kg from locusts in Sukagawa City, 82 becquerels/kg and 75 becquerels/kg from locusts in Koori-machi and Motomiya City respectively.

Tweet