Impact of the Fukushima Accident on Marine Biota, Five Years Later

TY - JOUR

T1 - Impact of the Fukushima Accident on Marine Biota, Five Years Later

AU - Vives i Batlle, Jordi

A2 - Horemans, Nele

N1 - Score=10

PY - 2016/9/21

Y1 - 2016/9/21

N2 - In a previous commentary written in 2011 in the aftermath of the Fukushima accident in Japan, I summarized what was then understood about the effects of accidental radioactive discharges to marine life and forecasted into the future how the marine environment would likely be affected. Since that time, several studies have been conducted on the impact of the accident on marine organisms, and radiation doses arising thereof. I developed a dynamic transfer model for studying the bioaccumulation of Fukushima radionuclides in marine biota and assessed the impact and likelihood of effects to marine life. In the present article, I highlight the lessons learned over the past 5 years. I address whether the environmental consequences in the marine environment are as significant as initially feared and, with respect to the current situation, what remains to be investigated as the radioactivity continues to spread in the marine environment.

AB - In a previous commentary written in 2011 in the aftermath of the Fukushima accident in Japan, I summarized what was then understood about the effects of accidental radioactive discharges to marine life and forecasted into the future how the marine environment would likely be affected. Since that time, several studies have been conducted on the impact of the accident on marine organisms, and radiation doses arising thereof. I developed a dynamic transfer model for studying the bioaccumulation of Fukushima radionuclides in marine biota and assessed the impact and likelihood of effects to marine life. In the present article, I highlight the lessons learned over the past 5 years. I address whether the environmental consequences in the marine environment are as significant as initially feared and, with respect to the current situation, what remains to be investigated as the radioactivity continues to spread in the marine environment.

KW - Dynamic modelling

KW - Non-human biota

KW - Fukushima

KW - Environment

KW - Transfer

UR - http://ecm.sckcen.be/OTCS/llisapi.dll/open/20089288

U2 - 10.1002/jeam.1825

DO - 10.1002/jeam.1825

M3 - Article

VL - 12

SP - 654

EP - 658

JO - Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management

JF - Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management

SN - 1551-3793

IS - 4

M1 - 1

ER -