Cesium-137 Contents in Japanese Diet from 1963 to 1971

Abstract
137Cs level in the total diet of Japanese reached the highest peak (107 pCi/day/person) in 1964, and then decreased year by year. The 137Cs level in 1971 was less than 10% of the maximum value in 1964. Daily intake of stable cesium through the total diet has been in the range of 3.9 μg and 25.1 μg. The specific activities (137Cs pCi/mg of stable Cs) of total diet were found to vary among districts. Average ratio of Cs atom to one million atoms of potassium in the diet was 1.7±0.7. Contribution of nine foodstuffs to the total intake of 137Cs was calculated, and that of cereals was the highest and amounted to approximately 40% of the total 137Cs intake. Using (137Cs)-K observed ratio (ORhuman body-total diet) for the Japanese adults of 2.35, the cumulative internal radiation dose to the whole body due to 137Cs was estimated to be 7.3 mrads during the 9 years period from 1963 to 1971.

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