Continuing 137Cs release to the sea from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant through 2012

Rate of cesium-137 (137Cs) release to the sea from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant was estimated until September 2012. Based on publicly released data of 137Cs in seawater near the power plant by Tokyo Electric Power Company, a continuing release of radionuclides to the sea is strongly suggested. The plant has an artificial harbour facility, and the exchange rate of harbour water with surrounding seawater was estimated by decrease of radioactivity immediately after an intense event of radioactive water release. The estimated exchange rate of water in the harbour is 0.44 day 1 during the period from 6 to 19 April 2011. 137Cs radioactivity of the harbour water is substantially higher than seawater outside and remained relatively stable after June 2011. A quasi-steady state was assumed with continuous water exchange, and an average release rate of 137Cs was estimated to be 93 GBq day 1 in summer 2011 and 8.1 GBq day 1 in summer 2012.