Research Activity of The Department of Radiochemistry and Radioecology, and Study on Internal Exposure Dose Assessment by Beverages

抄録

The Department of Radiochemistry and Radioecology is part of the Institute of Radiation Emergency Medicine at Hirosaki University which carries out chemical approaches to evaluate radiation exposure and the course on radiochemical technique training. The current research themes are as follows; the study of internal radiation dose through bioassay, tritium in environmental and biological samples, radioecology in the Fukushima area, and isotope geochemistry. Our department focuses on tritium monitoring since it is also released into the environment by nuclear facilities. Tritium released into the atmosphere on an annual basis from nuclear power plants around the world was estimated to be equivalent to approximately 15-20% of the yearly rate at which cosmic rays produce tritium. Recently the issue of tritium has also raised public concern since the Japanese government decided to discharge the ALPS-treated water into the ocean. Therefore, continuing tritium monitoring also holds significant value for the public. Additionally, the study on radionuclides content and their annual effective dose in beverages is also one of the related topics. Radionuclides emitted into the environment can end up in the atmosphere, surface water, or groundwater. Ingestion is the primary mechanism responsible for the internal exposure of the human body to ionizing radiation. It is crucial to examine how radionuclides migrate and accumulate throughout the food chain. Humans and beverages are intimately associated since humans consume beverages to quench their thirst, stay hydrated, and enjoy a variety of flavors and nutritional benefits. Given that they make up a large portion of the diet and can have varied effects on health, beverages are considered an important issue. Additionally, some literature highlights the need for precise data in food monitoring at the initial levels in order to improve effect estimates of radionuclide contamination. Thus, the goal of this study is to evaluate radionuclides in beverages in order to create a preliminary database for more accurate evaluation in the future (Pintilie-Nicolov et al., 2021).