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Effect of the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident on radioiodine ( 131 I) content in human breast milk
Author(s) -
Unno Nobuya,
Minakami Hisanori,
Kubo Takahiko,
Fujimori Keiya,
Ishiwata Isamu,
Terada Hiroshi,
Saito Shigeru,
Yamaguchi Ichiro,
Kunugita Naoki,
Nakai Akihito,
Yoshimura Yasunori
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of obstetrics and gynaecology research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.597
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1447-0756
pISSN - 1341-8076
DOI - 10.1111/j.1447-0756.2011.01810.x
Subject(s) - breast milk , medicine , fukushima nuclear accident , human breast milk , iodine , zoology , environmental pollution , pollution , nuclear power plant , environmental science , environmental protection , biology , chemistry , ecology , biochemistry , physics , organic chemistry , nuclear physics
Background: Environmental pollution with radioiodine (iodine‐131, 131 I) occurred after an accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant (FNP) on March 11, 2011, in Japan. Whether environmental pollution with 131 I can contaminate human breast milk has not been documented. Methods: The 131 I content was determined in 126 breast milk samples from 119 volunteer lactating women residing within 250 km of the FNP, between April 24 and May 31, 2011. The degree of environmental pollution was determined based on the data released by the Japanese government. Results: An 131 I content of 210 Bq/kg in the tap water in Tokyo, which is located 230 km south of the FNP, on March 22 and of 3500 Bq/kg in spinach sampled in a city located 140 km southwest of the FNP on March 19 decreased over time to <21 Bq/kg on March 27 and 12 Bq/kg on April 26, respectively. Seven of the 23 women who were tested in April secreted a detectable level of 131 I in their breast milk. The concentrations of 131 I in the breast milk of the seven women were 2.3 Bq/kg (on April 24), and 2.2, 2.3, 2.3, 3.0, 3.5 and 8.0 (on April 25); the concentrations of 131 I in the tap water available for these seven women at the same time were estimated to be <1.3 Bq/kg. None of the remaining 96 women tested in May exhibited a detectable concentration of 131 I in their breast milk samples. Conclusions: The contamination of breast milk with 131 I can occur even when only mild environmental 131 I pollution is present.