Estimation of Xe-135, I-131, I-132, I-133 and Te-132 Concentrations in Plumes at Monitoring Posts in Fukushima Prefecture Using Pulse Height Distribution Obtained from NaI(Tl) Detector

The Xe-135, I-131, I-132, I-133 and Te-132 concentrations in plumes at the monitoring posts in Fukushima prefecture in March 2011 were estimated using the pulse height distribution obtained from a NaI (Tl) detector, which were available to the public. Several corrections to the pulse height distribution were necessary owing to high count rates. The contribution to the count rates from each radionuclide except Xe-135 accumulated around each monitoring post was estimated using a method based on the time history of the peak count rate proposed by the authors. The concentration of each radionuclide in the plume was converted from the peak count rate using the response of the NaI (Tl) detector calculated with the egs5 code for a model of a plume containing a uniform distribution of radionuclides. The obtained time histories of Xe-135, I-131, I-132, I-133 and Te-132 concentrations in air at a fixed point in March 2011 were the first ones for Fukushima prefecture. The results at five monitoring posts near Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station were used to characterize radionuclides in the plume before March 15, soon after the accident. The results at three monitoring posts, Naraha-town Shoukan, Hirono-town Futatsunuma and Fukushima-city Momijiyama, which were analyzed during almost all of March, were used to characterize radionuclides in the plume in the period after March 14. It was fourd that Xe-135 was dominant on March 12 and Te-132 increased from March 13. For the radionuclides of iodine, I-131, I-132 and I-133 were detected with almost the same concentration for the first few days after the reactor shutdown.