Environmental radioactivity analyses in Italy following the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear accident

Following the Fukushima power plants accident on the 11th March 2011, the radioactivity monitoring programme at the Italian ENEA research centres was activated in order to detect the possible new input of radionuclides through atmospheric transport and precipitation. Measurements of I-131 and Cs-134,Cs-137 were carried out on atmospheric particulate, atmospheric deposition, seawater and mussels and sheep milk. In the daily samples of air particulate, I-131 was detectable between March 28 and April 12, with extremely low concentrations (<1 mBq m(-3); the detection limit for I-131 was similar to 0.2 mBq m(-3)) while Cs isotopes were always below the detection limit (<0.2 m8q m(-3)). The two main episodes of I-131 atmospheric deposition were registered in La Spezia research centre, around March 28 and April 15, reaching values of 17.8 +/- 1.1 and 8.0 +/- 2.5 Bq m(-2) respectively; maximum values of (CS)-C-134 and (CS)-C-137 were 0.11 +/- 0.03 and 0.17 +/- 0.02 Bq m(-2), respectively, detected in Brasimone research centre in April (reference date April 15). Mussels and seawater were collected in the Gulf of La Spezia: only mussels after the main I-131 deposition, on March 28, contained a measurable, although very small, amount of I-131 (0.18 +/- 0.05 Bq kg(-1), detection limit I-131 = 0.03 Bq kg(-1) wet weight - soft parts). The I-131 was also detected in sheep milk in Rome (Casaccia research centre) until May 5, showing a maximum concentration of 4.9 +/- 0.4 Bq L-1. As for other European Countries for which data are available, activity levels remain of no concern for public health. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.