Health Risk Assessment due to 137Cs Released into Ocean from the Severe Accident of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plants

후쿠시마 사고로 해양으로 누출된 137Cs에 의한 인체 위해도 평가

  • Min, Byung Il (Nuclear Environmental Safety Research Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) ;
  • Lee, Baek Gun (Nuclear Environmental Safety Research Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) ;
  • Suh, Kyung Suk (Nuclear Environmental Safety Research Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) ;
  • Park, Kihyun (Nuclear Environmental Safety Research Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute)
  • 민병일 (한국원자력연구원 원자력환경안전연구부) ;
  • 이백근 (한국원자력연구원 원자력환경안전연구부) ;
  • 서경석 (한국원자력연구원 원자력환경안전연구부) ;
  • 박기현 (한국원자력연구원 원자력환경안전연구부)
  • Received : 2014.06.16
  • Accepted : 2014.09.30
  • Published : 2014.09.30

Abstract

After the nuclear accident of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plants (FDNPPs) on 11 March 2011, a large amount of radioactive materials has been released into the atmosphere and the ocean. A compartment model is used to evaluate the circulation characteristics and the spatiotemporal concentration distributions of radionuclides in the ocean. In the comparison with observed concentrations of $^{137}Cs$ in seawater, calculated concentrations by the compartment model were well agreed with them. On the basis of these results, we performed evaluation of the effective dose and the cancer risk. In the early stage of the accident, the effective doses from ingestion of the seafood near the Fukushima region were much higher than 1 mSv which is the value of the annual effective dose limit to individual recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). However, the effective doses by ingestion of the seafood decreased below 1 mSv as distance from the FDNPPs increased and time passed. In addition, it was estimated that the cancer risks by intake of the contaminated marine products were less than natural occurrence probability of cancer. Consequently, it was inferred that the health risk due to the $^{137}Cs$ was low after since mid-term period of the accident.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

Supported by : 한국연구재단, 한국방사선안전재단