TY - JOUR
T1 - Resuspension and deposition of PM2.5 and PM10 containing radiocesium during and after indoor cleaning of uninhabited houses in Fukushima, Japan
AU - Shinohara, Naohide
AU - Yoshida-Ohuchi, Hiroko
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported by the Study of Health Effects of Radiation organized by the Ministry of the Environment, Government of Japan . We would like to express our gratitude to the residents of the houses studied for their cooperation with this work. This research was approved by the ethics review committee of Tohoku University, Japan.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2021/6
Y1 - 2021/6
N2 - Radiocesium contamination in homes could be a serious concern following Japan's 2011 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, including exposure to radiocesium during cleaning when residents return home after the lifting of evacuation orders. This study measured PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations containing radiocesium during cleaning (dusting, vacuuming with a cordless cyclone unit, and vacuuming with a corded paper-pack unit), as well as air exchange rates, in 12 residential houses in Fukushima. Surface dusting of walls, shelves, and furniture significantly increased concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 by up to 6.3 and 16 times the background (outdoor) level, respectively. Vacuuming with a paper-pack unit increased levels by 2.2 and 3.3 times, while vacuuming with a cordless cyclone unit increased these by 1.3 and 1.5 times, respectively. Measurements in 11 houses revealed an average air exchange rate of 0.22/h and dry deposition rates for PM2.5 and PM10 of 0.13/h and 0.32/h, respectively. Dry deposition rates were not correlated with building age, although the air exchange rates showed statistically significant increases with increasing building age. Dry deposition rates of PM2.5 significantly decreased with increasing air exchange rates.
AB - Radiocesium contamination in homes could be a serious concern following Japan's 2011 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, including exposure to radiocesium during cleaning when residents return home after the lifting of evacuation orders. This study measured PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations containing radiocesium during cleaning (dusting, vacuuming with a cordless cyclone unit, and vacuuming with a corded paper-pack unit), as well as air exchange rates, in 12 residential houses in Fukushima. Surface dusting of walls, shelves, and furniture significantly increased concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 by up to 6.3 and 16 times the background (outdoor) level, respectively. Vacuuming with a paper-pack unit increased levels by 2.2 and 3.3 times, while vacuuming with a cordless cyclone unit increased these by 1.3 and 1.5 times, respectively. Measurements in 11 houses revealed an average air exchange rate of 0.22/h and dry deposition rates for PM2.5 and PM10 of 0.13/h and 0.32/h, respectively. Dry deposition rates were not correlated with building age, although the air exchange rates showed statistically significant increases with increasing building age. Dry deposition rates of PM2.5 significantly decreased with increasing air exchange rates.
KW - Aerosols
KW - Air exchange rate
KW - Dry deposition
KW - Fukushima
KW - Radiocesium
KW - Resuspension
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85101311695&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85101311695&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.129934
DO - 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.129934
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85101311695
VL - 272
JO - Chemosphere
JF - Chemosphere
SN - 0045-6535
M1 - 129934
ER -