New Book Assesses Agricultural Impact of Fukushima Nuclear Accident

17 Apr 2013 --- Following the Fukushima nuclear accident, a large volume of data was collected about the soil, air, dust, and seawater in the area. Data was also gathered about an immense number of foods supplied to the market.

Little is known, however, about the effect of radioactive fallout on agriculture. Although more than 80 percent of the damaged area is related to agriculture, in situ information specifically for agriculture is scarce.

A new book Agricultural Implications of the Fukushima Nuclear Accident provides information about the actual movement and accumulation of radioactivity in the ecological system—for example, whether debris deposited on mountains can be a cause of secondary contamination, under what conditions plants accumulate radioactive cesium in their edible parts, and how radioactivity is transferred from hay to milk. The book is published in Springer’s open access (OA) program and is freely available on SpringerLink (link.springer.com) to anyone with access to the internet.

Co-editor Tomoko Nakanishi said, “Since the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident in March 2011, contamination of places and foods has been a matter of concern. Unfortunately, agricultural producers have had few sources of information. At the request of agriculturists in Fukushima, we at the Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences at The University of Tokyo have been urgently collecting reliable data on the contamination of soil, plants, milk, and crops. Based on this data, our book comments on and proposes effective ways of resuming agricultural activity.”

Edited by Tomoko. M. Nakanishi and Keitaro Tanoi, Agricultural Implications of the Fukushima Nuclear Accident presents the data collected from the only project being systematically carried out across Japan after the Fukushima accident. The Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences of The University of Tokyo has diverse facilities available throughout Japan, including farmlands, forests, and meadowlands. Many specialists with different areas of expertise have formed groups to conduct on-site research, with more than 40 volunteers participating.