Fukushima fish: scientist warns of the cumulative effect of accumulated radioactive doses

Tritium, which began to be poured into the ocean from nuclear power plants, may have an impact in decades

The world’s first “experiment” on the effect of small doses of radioactive tritium on the human body was started by Japan. According to Valery Menshchikov, a Russian expert on nuclear safety, a member of the Public Council of Rosatom, Valery Menshchikov, the statements that have appeared (including from the IAEA) about the safety of the hydrogen isotope do not concern its possible “delayed effect” as a result of the accumulation of small doses in the human body for decades.

Recall that the Japanese authorities decided to start dumping radioactive water from the Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant into the ocean from August 24. It is based on a statement by a Japanese expert group, the so-called “ALPS (Advanced Liquid Handling System) Subcommittee” chaired by nuclear scientist Ichiro Yamamoto, that such a dump would be completely harmless to local residents. So, in January 2020, ALPS published a report stating that the discharge of all water with the remaining tritium into the water area in one year will cause an exposure dose of 0.81 microsieverts for local residents. This is negligible compared to the natural radiation in Japan, which is 2100 microsieverts per year. The Japanese experts’ calculations were approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The process of water discharge is not fast, the first tons will be discharged within 17 days, and in general the process should take about 30 years.

“And yet we are talking about the radioactive element tritium, the possible danger of which we have no right to neglect,” says Valery Menshchikov.

– Experts speak of very small doses of this substance.

– Of course, residual small doses of a direct effect on the body, most likely, will not have, although this is not certain. The fact is that there are still scientific discussions about the effect of small doses on human health. In our country, this issue was studied by very serious scientific laboratories that tested the effect of radiation on biosystems. During the early years of space exploration, scientists also studied groups of astronauts to see how they were affected by cosmic radiation. It turned out the so-called “normal distribution” (this is a scientific term), where subgroups were identified from the total number of surveyed. Conventionally, 5% of people who can withstand large radiation loads, and this does not affect their health, and 5%, who begin to suffer even from the smallest doses. That is, scientists have found that each of us can have very different thresholds for sensitivity to radiation.

Another problem is that we do not know exactly how the allowed doses will be added up, which will get inside us, say, with fish. This still needs to be explored.

– What should we, in Russia, do now in connection with the events taking place in Japan?

– Of course, there is no need to panic. But I think it would be right if

Rosprirodnadzor and the Ministry of Emergency Situations have begun monitoring products coming to our counters from oceanic areas, where there may be small doses of tritium. For example, I would advise monitoring salmon species and fish products that come to Russia. It is important, in my opinion, not only to monitor, but also to launch a scientific study corresponding to this event on the accumulation of tritium in the human body.

Japanese residents offered to bottle the water discharged into the Pacific Ocean, which is considered by the IAEA representatives to be practically potable, and use it at workplaces. I think that this polite proposal will be unrealizable.