First evidence of global contamination from alpha-emitting particulates from

Fukushima. Elevated Uranium in air filters in Hawaii and Marianas islands

Chris Busby
European Committee on Radiation Risk
18th April 2011

The graph in Fig 1 below shows the trend in distance of Uranium in filters from
Fukushima. This matter raises issues over the levels of Uranium and other alpha
emitting particles like Plutonium in Japan and in nearer countries like Korea and
China.

Fig 1. Uranium in filters. Trend with distance from Fukushima.

The graph above has been created from very limited data on uranium in high volume
air sampler filters, data which is deeply hidden in the RADNET EPA website. It
shows that uranium (and probably also therefore plutonium) particles are being
released by the Fukushima catastrophe. They are appearing in California some
8000km away at levels which are greater than background.

Earlier bulletins and reports from me on the health consequences of exposures to

fallout from Fukushima have focused on measurements of contamination from the
beta gamma emitters Iodine-131 and Caesium-137. These nuclides have been reported
in very low concentration in water, air and milk in many US States and also in
Europe. Official radiation risk agencies have stated that levels do not give cause for
concern over health effects and, for the USA and Europe, the ECRR risk model also
provides some reassurance on this issue. However, from the beginning of the
Fukushima catastrophe I have been pointing out that it is the alpha emitting
particulates of Uranium and Plutonium which will have been released from the plants
and from the destruction of the spent fuel assemblies that pose the greatest risk, and
have recommended that these substances be monitored by laboratory analysis of high
volume air sample filters. Studies by us after the 2nd Gulf war showed that uranium
aerosol particulates were globally mobile and travelled to the UK from Iraq against
the spin of the earth.
The uranium particulates from Fukushima are of great concern since respirable
(inhaled) aerosol uranium is now known to be extremely genotoxic due to
photoelectron conversion of gamma radiation and because Uranium binds to
DNA.

It is therefore of concern that data has now appeared from the USA EPA that
seems to confirm that uranium particulates are travelling at least as far as the
Hawaii and probably across the USA. This is a very serious global health threat
and air sample data need to be obtained from systems in the USA and in Europe
as a matter of urgency.

1. EPA results for U-238 and U-234 (converted to nBq/Cu Metre)

(http://www.epa.gov/japan2011/docs/rert/radnet-cart-filter-final.pdf)

Sampler and date U-238 U-234

CA Anaheim 15 March ND 1628
CA Anaheim 20 March ND ND
CA Riverside 15 March 703 1300
CA San Francisco 18 March 518 ND
Marianas Saipan 21 March 10,360 4800
Marianas Saipan 24th March 7770 7030
Marianas Guam 19th March ND ND
Marianas Guam 23 March 7400 11,100
Hawaii Oahu 23 March 4810 5920
Hawaii Kauai 21 March 8140 7030
WA Seattle 18 March ND 740
Mean AWE (UK) levels 1998-2002 <200 ND

The data seem to show that air concentrations in the Pacific are significantly higher
than levels in California and Washington and also that levels appear absolutely high.
The problem is that EPA do not show any early data which can be employed as a
control. In Fig 1 below we show the increases in uranium in the Aldermaston
Berkshire filters over the period of the 2nd Gulf war (Busby and Morgan 2006).
Fig 2 High Volume air sample filter results from detectors near the Atomic Weapons
Establishment site at Aldermaston Berkshire. nBq/m3

Uranium in high-volume air sample filters near Aldermaston, UK

1800
Gulf War II Hannington
1600 Thatcham
1400 Reading
Silchester
1200
mean offsite
nBq/cu:m

1000 Afghan Tora Bora ? R001H

800 R002H
R007H
600
R009H
400 mean onsite
200

0
11 1 /9 3/0 8
01 3 /9 3/1 8
21 /9 5/0 8
11 0 /9 5/0 99
01 2 /0 4/1 99
21 6 /0 5/0 99
11 9 /0 5/0 0
03 /0 5/1 0
23 5 /0 5/0 0
14 8 /0 7/0 1
11 /0 6/0 1
01 4 /0 3/0 1
21 /0 /0 2
13 /0 5/0 2
03 3 /0 5/1 2
23 /0 7/0 2
0 / 7 03

6/ 3
3
9
9
9

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

-0 7/0
/0
/1 8-1 4/
/0 8-0 8/
/0 9-2 2/
/1 9-1 3/
/0 9-0 7/
/0 0-2 1/
/0 0-1 2/
/0 0-0 6/
/0 1-2 0/
/0 1-1 1/
/1 1-0 5/
/0 1-0 9/
/0 2-2 1/
/1 2-1 4/
/0 2-0 8/
/0 3-2 2/
/1 3-1 3/

11
19 7 /9 3/0

03 /0
5
/0 8-2
30 4 /9

8
1

7
/0
09

period

Clearly the levels in the Pacific air samplers are much higher that the levels
found in the AWE filters even at the time of the Gulf War.
If we assume that the background level in the Pacific is around 300nBq/m3 then
the detection of between 4000 and 10,000nBq/m3 represents a very significant
and alarming increase in Uranium concentration and suggests (a) that further
measurements of uranium particulates should be carried out globally and (b)
that the levels of particulates in Japan and nearby countries within 2000km
radius may be dangerous.

C. Busby