Radiation safety assurance for the population of the Far Eastern regions of the Russian Federation under conditions of long-term discharge of water from the Fukushima–1 NPP
A. Yu. Popova,
I. K. Romanovich,
V. S. Repin,
K. V. Varfolomeeva,
S. A. Zelentsova,
K. A. Sednev,
A. M. Biblin,
M. V. Budyansky,
M. A. Lebedeva,
M. Yu. Uleysky,
T. V. Belonenko https://doi.org/10.21514/1998-426X-2026-19-1-7-23
Abstract
In connection with the planned prolonged discharge of tritium-containing water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, a gradual increase in tritium concentrations is expected in the coastal waters of the Far Eastern regions of the Russian Federation.
The aim of this study is to improve the methods for ensuring the radiation safety of the population under conditions of long-term discharge of radioactive water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant based on numerical modeling of ocean current circulation.
Materials and Methods: Seawater samples from the coastal areas of Kamchatka, Primorsky, and Khabarovsk Krais, Magadan and Sakhalin Oblasts, and the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug for the period 2023–2025 were used for the analysis of tritium content. Lagrangian models accounting for the spatiotemporal structure of oceanic circulation and currents were employed to describe tritium transport processes.
Results and Discussion: The mean values of tritium specific activity in samples collected at distances of up to 1000 m from the shore were shown to range from less than 1.0 Bq/kg to 5.5 Bq/kg. Numerical modeling revealed potential accumulation zones for tritium discharged with treated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant: the Southern Kuril Islands, Sakhalin Island, the southern tip of the Kamchatka Peninsula, and Bering Island. The East Kamchatka Current forms a dynamic barrier along the eastern coast of Kamchatka, limiting the intrusion of contaminated waters into coastal areas.
Conclusion: To organize effective long-term monitoring of tritium in seawater and, subsequently, in seafood, it is necessary to refine the areas of the most likely tritium accumulation in the waters of the Russian Far East.
Keywords
Fukushima-1 NPP,
tritium,
activity concentration,
seawater,
marine currents modeling,
Pacific Ocean,
Far Eastern Federal District
Supporting agencies: The research was conducted within the framework of the scientific project titled "Investigation of Tritium Levels in the Seawater of the Far Eastern Regions of the Russian Federation". Numerical simulations implemented using the AVISO dataset were performed with support from the grant of Saint Petersburg State University (No. 129659573). Simulations based on the GLO-RYS12V1 dataset were supported by the Russian Science Foundation grant (No. 25-17-00021). Lagrangian analysis was carried out on the high-performance computing cluster of the V.I. Il'ichev Pacific Oceanological Institute of Far Eastern Branch Russian Academy of Sciences (State assignment No. 124022100072–5)
About the Authors
A. Yu. Popova
Federal Service for Surveillance of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Anna Yu. Popova – Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Honored Doctor of the Russian Federation, Head.
Moscow
I. K. Romanovich
Saint Petersburg Research Institute of Radiation Hygiene after Professor P.V. Ramzaev, Federal Service for Surveillance of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Ivan K. Romanovich – Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Director.
Saint Petersburg
V. S. Repin
Saint Petersburg Research Institute of Radiation Hygiene after Professor P.V. Ramzaev, Federal Service for Surveillance of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Viktor S. Repin – Doctor of Biological Sciences, Head of Ecology Laboratory.
8, Mira Str., Saint Petersburg, 197101
K. V. Varfolomeeva
Saint Petersburg Research Institute of Radiation Hygiene after Professor P.V. Ramzaev, Federal Service for Surveillance of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Kseniya V. Varfolomeeva – Research Fellow, Laboratory of Ecology.
Saint Petersburg
S. A. Zelentsova
Saint Petersburg Research Institute of Radiation Hygiene after Professor P.V. Ramzaev, Federal Service for Surveillance of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Svetlana A. Zelentsova – Research Fellow, Laboratory of Ecology.
Saint Petersburg
K. A. Sednev
Saint Petersburg Research Institute of Radiation Hygiene after Professor P.V. Ramzaev, Federal Service for Surveillance of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Konstantin A. Sednev – Junior Researcher.
Saint Petersburg
A. M. Biblin
Saint Petersburg Research Institute of Radiation Hygiene after Professor P.V. Ramzaev, Federal Service for Surveillance of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Artem M. Biblin – Head of the Information and Analytical Center.
Saint Petersburg
M. V. Budyansky
V.I. Il'ichev Pacific Oceanological Institute of Far Eastern Branch Russian Academy of Sciences; Saint Petersburg State University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Maxim V. Budyansky – Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Senior Researcher at the Laboratory of Nonlinear Dynamical Systems, V.I. Il'ichev Pacific Oceanological Institute of Far Eastern Branch RAS.
Vladivostok
M. A. Lebedeva
V.I. Il'ichev Pacific Oceanological Institute of Far Eastern Branch Russian Academy of Sciences; Saint Petersburg State University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Maria A. Lebedeva – Postgraduate Student at V.I. Il'ichev Pacific Oceanological Institute of Far Eastern Branch RAS.
Vladivostok
M. Yu. Uleysky
V.I. Il'ichev Pacific Oceanological Institute of Far Eastern Branch Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Mikhail Yu. Uleysky – Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Senior Researcher at the Laboratory of Nonlinear Dynamical Systems, V.I. Il'ichev Pacific Oceanological Institute of Far Eastern Branch RAS.
Vladivostok
T. V. Belonenko
Saint Petersburg State University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Tatyana V. Belonenko – Doctor of Geographical Sciences, Professor at the Department of Oceanology.
Saint Petersburg
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For citations:
Popova A.Yu., Romanovich I.K., Repin V.S., Varfolomeeva K.V., Zelentsova S.A., Sednev K.A., Biblin A.M., Budyansky M.V., Lebedeva M.A., Uleysky M.Yu., Belonenko T.V. Radiation safety assurance for the population of the Far Eastern regions of the Russian Federation under conditions of long-term discharge of water from the Fukushima–1 NPP. Radiatsionnaya Gygiena = Radiation Hygiene. 2026;19(1):7-23. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.21514/1998-426X-2026-19-1-7-23
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