How is Fukushima’s Fallout Affecting Marine Life?

Brendan Forst

How is Fukushima’s Fallout Affecting Marine Life?

By David Pacchioli

Summary:

            Following the nuclear disaster at Fukushima, cesium-137, cesium-134 and  iodine-131 were released in large quantities into the surrounding coastal waters. These radioisotopes are being spread throughout the marine food chain. The spread of these isotopes begins with the microscopic plants called phytoplankton. These plants absorb the radioactivity from their surroundings. The phytoplankton are eaten by zooplankton, which are eaten by small fish, and the trend continues along the chain. When the chain reaches the larger fish, some of the radioisotopes are actually released through excretions, which fall to the seafloor. From there the sedentary excretions are clumped together and sometimes eaten by bottom feeders. Now, the entire marine food chain has been affected with these synthesized radioactive chemicals, beginning with the tiniest phytoplankton.

            How drastically each member of the marine food chain is affected by the radiation is determined by a few other factors: the length of exposure, the size and species of the organism, the radioisotopes involved, the temperature of the water, how much salt is in the water, the amount of oxygen in the water, and a few others.

            Some radioisotopes are naturally occurring in ocean life, and present inside many marine organisms. These radioisotopes are non-lethal, for the most part, and don’t affect the fish. When radioisotopes from an outside source are added to the ocean water, that is when the problems occur. Unlike the naturally occurring radioisotopes, the added ones mutate and cause birth defects in the fish, not to mention that they last for a hundred years or more.

Relevance:

            The ongoing leakage of radioactive water into the marine habitat in Japan is affecting not only marine life close to shore, but effects are also starting to be noticed along the west coast of the U.S. Japanese fishing communities are being driven out of business because not many customers are thrilled at the prospect of radioactive fish. Not only are the Japanese fishers feeling the impact of this crisis but also, due to the ocean’s currents, the radioisotopes are being spread out across the world.

Critique:

            Although very informative, this article contained some parts that were not that straightforward. For example, the article states that radioisotopes can be “remobilized into the overlying waters through microbial and chemical processes.” Nowhere in the article does it explain what these processes are, or what they entail. Another thing I thought could have been constructed better was the title. Unlike what the title says, the article never once mentioned the affects of radioactive fallout on marine life, other than the fact that it became present in their habitat. I think a more accurate title would be, “How Is Fukushima’s Fallout Entering Marine Organisms?” This title would give the reader a clear idea of what to expect in what they read next, unlike the current title. All in all, I thought this article was a very interesting one that just needed to be explained a bit more.

Citation:

Pacchioli, David. "How is Fukushima’s Fallout Affecting Marine Life?" Oceanus Magazine. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 2-5-2013. Web. 20 Oct 2013. https://www.whoi.edu/oceanus/feature/how-is-fukushimas-fallout-affecting-marine-life.