By Jay T. Cullen

@JayTCullen

 

The purpose of this diary is to report results from a recently published, peer reviewed study (behind paywall) examining the degree of Fukushima contamination in fungi and soil of western North America. The diary is the most recent contribution to an ongoing series which aims to provide evidence from scientific studies assessing the impact of the Fukushima Daiichi disaster on the environment and the health of residents of North America. Trappe and colleagues measured the activity of cesium isotopes (134-Cs half life ~ 2 years; 137-Cs half life ~30 years) in wild mushrooms, soil and leaf litter of the west coast from California up to Vancouver Island. The conclusions of the study were as follows:

1. No activity measurements exceeded levels thought to impact human health
2. 137-Cs activity increased in fungi and soil towards the north
3. 134-Cs increased to the south in leaf litter
4. Chanterelles did not significantly bioconcentrate Cs isotopes
5. 137-Cs and 134-Cs activities were highly variable from sample to sample
6. 137-Cs levels largely reflected non-Fukushima sources from either atmospheric weapons tests in the last century or the Chernobyl disaster in 1986

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