Where did the radiation from Fukushima go?
Large quantities of radioactive particles from the incident, including iodine-131 and caesium-134/137, have since been detected around the world. Substantial levels have been seen in California and in the Pacific Ocean.
What happened at Fukushima Daiichi?
In March 2011, in association with the Great Tohoku earthquake and resultant tsunami, there was an accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant on the east coast of Japan. This accident released the radionuclides cesium 134 Cs and 137 Cs into the ocean next to the plant, exposing marine life to radioactive materials.
Is there radiation in West Coast Tuna?
Fukushima Radiation in U.S. West Coast Tuna After an earthquake and tsunami resulted in an accident at a nuclear power plant in Fukushima in March 2011, NOAA Fisheries tracked radiation levels in U.S West Coast tuna in order to better understand migration.
What is the severity of radiation exposure?
The severity of the impact of radiation depends on the exposure, either chronic (continuous exposure over a long period of time) or acute (short-term exposure).
How does radiation affect the human body?
Ionizing radiation: has so much energy, it can knock electrons out of atoms and create an ion, or unbalanced atom. This process can change living cells and cause mutations in DNA and damage in tissues, which poses health risks for humans.
What occured in 2013 at the Fukushima plant?
How did the Fukushima accident happen? An earthquake and tsunami led to power loss in the Fukushima Daiichi plant. Without power, the cooling systems failed in three reactors, and their cores subsequently overheated.
What caused the Fukushima meltdown?
What happened at Fukushima? Systems at the nuclear plant detected the earthquake and automatically shut down the nuclear reactors. Workers rushed to restore power, but in the days that followed the nuclear fuel in three of the reactors overheated and partly melted the cores – something known as a nuclear meltdown.