Radiocesium concentrations in local foods and risk perceptions regarding radiation exposure among residents in Kawauchi village

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K16192
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Risk sciences of radiation and chemicals
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University
• Principal Investigator: ORITA Makiko 長崎大学, 原爆後障害医療研究所, 助教 (90737305)
• Research Collaborator: TAKAMURA Noboru ; TAIRA Yasuyuki
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 放射性セシウム濃度 / リスク認知 / 福島第一原発事故

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We evaluated the concentrations of radiocesium in local foods collected in Kawauchi Village, which is located less than 30 km from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, to minimize public anxiety regarding internal radiation exposure. The number of samples exceeding the regulatory radiocesium limit (100 Bq/kg for foods) was five of 1,133 vegetables (0.4%), and 225 of 751 (30%) among edible wild plants and fungi.
In 2017, we followed up the risk perception of the residents and found that the percentage of residents who stated that adverse effects would occur via their annual intake of mushrooms including 100 Bq/kg of radiocesium was 59.0% (58% in 2014). The results suggest that residents do not fully understand the difference between radiation protection policy, which is as low as reasonably achievable, and the actual health effects. For the recovery of Fukushima, specialists in the radiation health sciences must continue their efforts to communicate with the residents.

Free Research Field

放射線疫学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では福島県川内村において村内で採れた食材に含まれる放射性セシウム濃度を明らかにした。さらに預託実効線量を算出し、住民とのリスクコミュニケーションツールとして供した。以上に加え、住民の放射線被ばくと健康影響に対するリスク認知の評価を行った。今後は放射線防護の考え方と被ばくによる健康影響について、その根拠を踏まえながら住民へ情報提供していくことが必要であると考えられる。川内村は原子力災害から帰還した世界で初めての自治体であることから、川内村での取り組みは放射線災害時における住民とのリスクコミュニケーションのモデルとなる可能性を有している。