Max strontium levels in soil, crop samples low in Fukushima: research

The highest levels of radioactive strontium in soil and agricultural crop samples taken in Fukushima Prefecture were lower than in other parts of Japan, according to research results announced at a recent symposium by Hirofumi Tsukada, professor at Fukushima University’s Institute of Environmental Radioactivity. In a survey conducted by Tsukada in 2013 on the concentrations of strontium-90 in soil and crop samples obtained from 10 locations in Fukushima, the highest level was 4.7 becquerels per kilogram in soil and 0.31 becquerels in crops. These turned out to be lower than the maximum figures of 5.9 becquerels and 0.91 becquerel, respectively, in samples taken from other parts of Japan. “This shows that the landward impact of strontium-90 from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident was not that big,” Tsukada said. (Translated by Kyodo News)