Comparison of external doses between radio-contaminated areas and areas with high natural terrestrial background using the individual dosimeter ‘D-shuttle’ 75 months after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident

After the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident, the air dose gradually decreases every
year due to the physical decay of radioactive materials and environmental changes, as well as
countermeasures. However, there is little information on personal behavioural patterns and
individual dose from external exposure among the inhabitants around the nuclear power plant. To
evaluate the dose from external exposure in Minamisoma city, and compare the differences with
outside Fukushima Prefecture, we started the external dose assessment project in cooperation with
city officials in Minamisoma and three other cities in Japan where the natural terrestrial
background radiation level is relatively high. In these four cities, external dose was measured
every hour for two weeks using an individual electronic dosimeter D-shuttle. The places of activity
of participants were recorded every hour to compare and evaluate the dose from external exposure,
and to clarify whether there is a diff...

Source: Journal of Radiological Protection - January 29, 2018 Category: Physics Authors: Masaharu Tsubokura, Shuhei Nomura, Izumi Yoshida, Toyoaki Sawano, Makoto Miyazaki, Satoru Tomita, Oikawa Tomoyoshi and Masami Watanabe Source Type: research