Radiocesium contamination of marine fish muscle and its effective elimination

Abstract

High concentrations of radiocesium (134Cs, 136Cs, and 137Cs combined) were detected in several fish species such as nibe croaker, Pacific cod, and brown hakeling, which were collected from the Pacific Ocean off the coast of the Fukushima and Ibaraki Prefectures. High levels of radiocesium accumulated in fish muscle, but the radioactivity levels of naturally occurring radioactive K in some contaminated fish exceeded the levels of 134Cs and 137Cs. Three washes with 0.1% NaCl solution effectively removed the radiocesium from contaminated fish meat. This can be applied in the production of surimi-based products and other processed seafood such as boiled, dried, or seasoned products.