STORE_DB

STUDY NAME
	Observations of Fukushima fallout in Great Britain
STUDY STATUS
	Published: Open access to everyone

DATA SHARING POLICY
	CC-Attribution

COUNTRY
	United Kingdom

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
	Prof. Nick Beresford
SPECIES
	Multiple Plant

SIZE OF COHORT
	0-999

BIOLOGICAL SAMPLE AVAILABLE
	No
ECOLOGICAL DATA
	Yes
STUDY DESCRIPTION
	Following the Fukushima accident in March 2011, grass samples were collected from 42 sites around Great Britain during April 2011. Iodine-131 was measurable in grass samples across the country with activity concentrations ranging from 10 to 55 Bq per kg dry matter. Concentrations were similar to those reported in other European countries. Rainwater and some foodstuffs were also analysed from a limited number of sites. Of these, I-131 was only detectable in sheep's milk (c. 2 Bq/kg). Caesium-134, which can be attributed to releases from the Fukushima reactors, was detectable in six of the grass samples (4-8 Bq/kg dry matter); 137Cs was detected in a larger number of grass samples although previous release sources (atmospheric weapons test and the 1986 Chernobyl and 1957 Windscale accidents) are likely to have contributed to this. All data and information for this sampling are available from this record. The data result from collaboration between CEH and the University of Stirling.

Created on:2018-11-19 16:31:45
Modified On:2018-11-19 16:31:45

DATASET NAME
	Observations of Fukushima fallout in Great Britain
DOI	DOI:10.20348/STOREDB/1130/1196
LINK TO FILE
	https://doi.org/10.5285/1a91c7d1-ec44-4858-9af2-98d80f169bbd
DATASET DESCRIPTION
	Following the Fukushima accident in March 2011, grass samples were collected from 42 sites around Great Britain during April 2011. Iodine-131 was measurable in grass samples across the country with activity concentrations ranging from 10 to 55 Bq per kg dry matter. Concentrations were similar to those reported in other European countries. Rainwater and some foodstuffs were also analysed from a limited number of sites. Of these, I-131 was only detectable in sheep's milk (c. 2 Bq/kg). Caesium-134, which can be attributed to releases from the Fukushima reactors, was detectable in six of the grass samples (4-8 Bq/kg dry matter); 137Cs was detected in a larger number of grass samples although previous release sources (atmospheric weapons test and the 1986 Chernobyl and 1957 Windscale accidents) are likely to have contributed to this. All data and information for this sampling are available from this record. The data result from collaboration between CEH and the University of Stirling. Beresford, N.A.; Barnett, C.L.; Howard, B.J.; Howard, D.C.; Tyler, A.N.; Bradley, S.; Copplestone, D. (2011). Observations of Fukushima fallout in Great Britain. NERC Environmental Information Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/1a91c7d1-ec44-4858-9af2-98d80f169bbd. radioecology