Absence of Detectable Radionuclides in Breast Milk in Sendai, Japan in 2012 Even by High-Sensitivity Determination: Estimated Dose among Infants after the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster

Zhaoqing Lyu, Sani Rachman Soleman, Tomoko Fujitani, Yukiko Fujii, Manal A. M. Mahmoud and Kouji H. Harada
Additional contact information
Zhaoqing Lyu: Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
Sani Rachman Soleman: Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
Tomoko Fujitani: Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
Yukiko Fujii: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Daiichi University of Pharmacy, Fukuoka 815-8511, Japan
Manal A. M. Mahmoud: Department of Animal Hygiene and Environmental Sanitation, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71526, Egypt
Kouji H. Harada: Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 11, 1-8

Abstract: The aim of this study was to estimate radionuclide levels in breast milk and the transferred dose to their infants in Sendai (100 km from Fukushima), Japan after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. Radionuclide concentrations were analyzed in 101 specimens of breast milk collected in 2012. Median values for minimum detectable activities were 0.39, 0.34, 1.1, 1.89, and 17.1 Bq/kg for 137 Cs, 134 Cs, 131 I, 110m Ag, and 40 K, respectively. Only radionuclides from 40 K were detected. To estimate potential exposure and radiocesium dose, we assumed that the samples contained each minimum detectable activity level. The mean minimum detectable activity concentrations (standard deviation) of 137 Cs and 134 Cs were 0.42 (0.15) and 0.37 (0.14) Bq/kg, respectively. Means of estimated dietary intakes of 137 Cs and 134 Cs among infants were 0.35 (0.12) and 0.31 (0.11) Bq/day, respectively. The committed effective doses of radiocesium in infants aged 3 and 12 months via breastmilk were estimated at 5.6 (2.1) and 3.3 (1.2) ?Sv/year, respectively. Dietary intakes of 137 Cs and 134 Cs in breastfeeding mothers were back-calculated at 1.9 (0.71) and 1.7 (0.65) Bq/day, respectively. The study verified no discernible exposure to radionuclides among infants. The most conservative estimates were below the Japanese internal exposure limit of 1 mSv/year.

Keywords: Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear disaster; radionuclide; radiocesium; breastfeeding mother; infant exposure (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/11/5825/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/11/5825/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:11:p:5825-:d:564650

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().