The IEAE (International Atomic Energy Agency) is in Japan to observe marine sampling at Fukushima.
Assessment of radioactivity
IEAE is observing the collection of seawater, marine sediment, and fish samples in the coastal waters near the nuclear power plant. The mission aims to verify the quality of the sample collection procedures. It also monitors the analytical methods used by Japanese laboratories responsible for monitoring radioactivity in the marine environment.
4 members of the IEAE network of analytical laboratories for the measurement of environmental radioactivity will collect the samples. The team will also observe fish sampling in fish markets in Fukushima Prefecture. All samples will be analyzed for radioactivity as part of an inter-laboratory comparison study.
Additional missions
In parallel, the mission includes the collection of additional samples that will be used for independent analysis by the IEAE. They will corroborate the results of Japanese measurements for the safety review of preparations for water releases. It is the ALPS system, currently stored at the Fukushima Daiichi site, that processes these measurements.
The samples collected will be sent to the laboratories participating in the comparative study. IEAE will analyze the results to assess the statistical significance of the differences in values. In addition, the organization will publish them.
Establishing a report
This is the twelfth such mission conducted under a project launched in 2014. The latter effectively supports the quality assurance of radioactivity data collection and analysis by Japanese laboratories. The IEAE is also reviewing Japan’s efforts to plan for the decommissioning of the plant.
The IEAE collects marine samples as part of an ongoing monitoring activity for recommendations. They will be carried out in the medium and long term in view of the decommissioning of units 1 to 4 of the Fukushima Daiichi plant. In addition, the reports of this work are publicly available.
