Impact of decontamination on individual radiation doses from external exposure among residents of Minamisoma City after the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant incident in Japan: a retrospective observational study
Following the Fukushima incident, radiation doses from external exposure accounted for the majority
of the total doses. Although countermeasures are being implemented, with the aim of reducing
radiation exposure, little information is available on the effects of decontamination on individual
doses among the residents of radioactively contaminated areas. To evaluate the effectiveness of the
decontamination measures in reducing individual doses, and to examine the influence of the timing of
decontamination and the district, data were analysed for 18 392 adults and 3 650 children in
Minamisoma City, Fukushima, who participated in a voluntary screening programme using individual
radiation dosimeters (Glass Badge) between June 2013 and September 2016. The dose reduction rates (
DRR ) were calculated for one year by comparing the first and last three-month measurement results
between areas with and without decontamination. Using a regression approach and Monte Carlo
simulation, t...
Source: Journal of Radiological Protection - Category: Physics Authors: Masaharu Tsubokura, Michio Murakami, Yoshitake Takebayashi, Shuhei Nomura, Kyoko Ono, Akihiko Ozaki, Toyoaki Sawano, Yurie Kobashi and Tomoyoshi Oikawa Source Type: research