Fukushima fallout of 131I, 137Cs, 134Cs at Milano, Italy

Abstract

¹³¹I and ¹³⁷Cs and ¹³⁴Cs fallout isotopes were measured in the Milano region (45°N), Italy over one month after the nuclear accident in Fukushima, Japan. Daily monitoring of the airborne activity levels carried out with a high volume air sampler, gave increased atmospheric radioactivity on air filter taken on 30 March 2011, while the maximum activity of 467 µBq m⁻³, occurred at April 3–4, 2011. Radionuclides from Fukushima fallout were first detected at Milano region in a rain water sample, at 27–28 March, 2011 with the concentrations of ¹³¹I and ¹³⁷Cs isotopes in the rainwater to be equal to 0.89 Bq L⁻¹ and 0.12 Bq L⁻¹, respectively. During the same days a snowfall sample was collected from Monte Rosa mountain at a height of 3000 m, with the concentrations of ¹³¹I and ¹³⁷Cs in snowfall to be lower than that in rainwater sample. A sample of dry deposition that was collected 9 days after the first rainfall event of 27-28 March, 2011 showed that the dry deposition of ¹³¹I and ¹³⁷Cs was 0.40 Bq m⁻² and 0.24 Bq m⁻² respectively. The concentration of ¹³¹I in goat and cow milk samples collected on 9 April, 2011 from a farm at a village in Anzasca valley near Macugnaga (Monte Rosa mountain), were 0.30 Bq L⁻¹ and 0.37 Bq L⁻¹ respectively.