"Invisible" radioactive cesium atoms revealed: Pollucite inclusion in cesium-rich microparticles (CsMPs) from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

Understanding radioactive Cs contamination has been a central issue at Fukushima Daiichi and other nuclear legacy sites; however, atomic-scale characterization of radioactive Cs in environmental samples has never been achieved. Here we report, for the first time, the direct imaging of radioactive Cs atoms using high-resolution high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM). In Cs-rich microparticles collected from Japan, we document inclusions that contain 27 - 36 wt% of Cs (reported as CsO) in a zeolite: pollucite.

Occurrence of radioactive cesium-rich micro-particles (CsMPs) in a school building located 2.8 km south-west of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

Radioactive Cs-rich microparticles (CsMPs) released from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) are a potential health risk through inhalation. Little has been documented on the occurrence of CsMPs, particularly their occurrence inside buildings. In this study, we quantitatively analyze the distribution and number of CsMPs in indoor dust samples collected from an elementary school located 2.

Volatilization of BC control rods in Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactors during meltdown: B-Li isotopic signatures in cesium-rich microparticles.

Boron carbide control rods remain in the fuel debris of the damaged reactors in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, potentially preventing re-criticality; however, the state and stability of the control rods remain unknown. Sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe analyses have revealed B-Li isotopic signatures in radioactive Cs-rich microparticles (CsMPs) that formed by volatilization and condensation of Si-oxides during the meltdowns. The CsMPs contain 1518-6733 mg kg of B and 11.

The Quaternary Kurobegawa Granite: an example of a deeply dissected resurgent pluton.

The Quaternary Kurobegawa Granite, central Japan, is not only the youngest known granitic pluton exposed on the Earth's surface, it is one of few localities where both Quaternary volcanics and related plutons are well exposed. Here, we present new zircon U-Pb ages together with whole rock and mineral geochemical data, revealing that the Kurobegawa Granite is a resurgent pluton that was emplaced following the caldera-forming eruption of the Jiigatake Volcanics at 1.55 ± 0.

New highly radioactive particles derived from Fukushima Daiichi Reactor Unit 1: Properties and environmental impacts.

A contaminated zone elongated toward Futaba Town, north-northwest of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP), contains highly radioactive particles released from reactor Unit 1. There are uncertainties associated with the physio-chemical properties and environmental impacts of these particles. In this study, 31 radioactive particles were isolated from surface soils collected 3.

Black spicules from a new interstitial opheliid polychaete Thoracophelia minuta sp. nov. (Annelida: Opheliidae).

The phylum Annelida exhibits high morphological diversity coupled with its extensive ecological diversity, and the process of its evolution has been an attractive research subject for many researchers. Its representatives are also extensively studied in fields of ecology and developmental biology and important in many other biology related disciplines. The study of biomineralisation is one of them.

Particulate plutonium released from the Fukushima Daiichi meltdowns.

Traces of Pu have been detected in material released from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) in March of 2011; however, to date the physical and chemical form of the Pu have remained unknown. Here we report the discovery of particulate Pu associated with cesium-rich microparticles (CsMPs) that formed in and were released from the reactors during the FDNPP meltdowns. The Cs-pollucite-based CsMP contained discrete U(IV)O nanoparticles, <~10 nm, one of which is enriched in Pu adjacent to fragments of Zr-cladding.

Abundance and distribution of radioactive cesium-rich microparticles released from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the environment.

The abundance and distribution of highly radioactive cesium-rich microparticles (CsMPs) that were released from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) during the first stage of the nuclear disaster in March 2011 are described for 20 surface soils collected around the FDNPP. Based on the spatial distribution of the numbers (particles/g) and radioactive fraction (RF) of the CsMPs in surface soil, which is defined as the sum of the CsMP radioactivity (in Bq) divided by the total radioactivity (in Bq) of the soil sample, three regions of particular interest have been identified: i.) near-northwest (N-NW), ii.

Dissolution of radioactive, cesium-rich microparticles released from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in simulated lung fluid, pure-water, and seawater.

To understand the chemical durability of highly radioactive cesium-rich microparticles (CsMPs) released from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in March 2011, we have, for the first time, performed systematic dissolution experiments with CsMPs isolated from Fukushima soils (one sample with 108 Bq and one sample with 57.8 Bq of Cs) using three types of solutions: simulated lung fluid, ultrapure water, and artificial sea water, at 25 and 37 °C for 1-63 days. The Cs was released rapidly within three days and then steady-state dissolution was achieved for each solution type.

Data on recovery rates and external morphologies of zircon grains from mechanical and electrical pulverization of rock samples.

In this data article, we provide information on the recovery rate and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of the external morphology of zircon grains separated from two rock samples (AS3 and TEMORA 2) using both mechanical and electrical pulverization systems. The data in this article are related to the research article entitled "New insight into disturbance of U-Pb and trace-element systems in hydrothermally altered zircon via SHRIMP analyses of zircon from the Duluth Gabbro" (Takehara et al., 2018) [1].

Isotopic signature and nano-texture of cesium-rich micro-particles: Release of uranium and fission products from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

Highly radioactive cesium-rich microparticles (CsMPs) released from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) provide nano-scale chemical fingerprints of the 2011 tragedy. U, Cs, Ba, Rb, K, and Ca isotopic ratios were determined on three CsMPs (3.79-780 Bq) collected within ~10 km from the FDNPP to determine the CsMPs' origin and mechanism of formation.