- The DOST-PNRI continues to closely monitor the situation at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The condition in the plant remains very serious but is slowly getting better.
- Gamma dose rates are measured daily in all 47 prefectures. As of 19 May 2011, the only notable value is that from Fukushima prefecture, where gamma dose rate is 1.6 µSv/h. In all other prefectures, reported gamma dose rates are below 0.1 µSv/h.
- As of 16 May 2011, Iodine-131, Cesium-134 and Cesium-137 were not detected in seawater at the sampling points of Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) beyond 30 km from the Fukushima plant.
- As of 18 May 2011, the PNRI had analyzed 50 food samples (e.g. mackerel, chocolate, and condiments) imported from Japan. These had activity concentrations lower than 3 Bq/kg of Cesium-137 and Cesium-134, and lower than 1 Bq/kg of Iodine-131. The WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission recommended limit for international trade is 1000 Bq/kg for total radioactivity concentration in food.
- The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) air monitoring station in the Philippines being serviced by the DOST-PNRI detected the following radioactivity concentrations (in table and graph):
- The peak values on March 24 correspond to a dose of 131 nanosieverts in a year.
- Activity Concentration of Topsoil Samples taken from PNRI grounds and other sites:
Activity Concentration of Water Samples taken from various sites:
Activity Concentration of Marine Biota Samples taken from Luzon:
Ambient Gamma Radiation Dose Rate Measurements taken at PNRI and various provinces in Luzon since March 2011:
a microbecquerels per cubic meter; 1 microbecquerel = 1 x 10-6 becquerel
b The above Cesium-137 levels in the soil, water, and fish samples are within background levels. The Cesium-137 is residual activity from atmospheric nuclear weapons testing in the 1950’s and 1960’s, not from the Fukushima accident.
c millibecquerels per liter; 1 millibecquerel = 1 x 10-3 becquerel; some copies of Information Bulletin No.22 may have erroneously stated this as Bq/kg instead of mBq/L
d Dates corrected
- Latest DOST-PNRI RADIATION LEVEL CHECK at PNRI grounds as of 9:00 AM, 16 May 2011:
85 – 109 nSv/h, STATUS: NORMAL - The radiological and safety impact on the Philippines REMAINS INSIGNIFICANT as it had been since the beginning of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident.
- The PNRI-DOST will no longer issue bulletins unless there is a significant radiological development.
- For the latest information, please access the following websites:
- International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) (http://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/tsunamiupdate01.html)
- Nuclear and Industrial Safety Administration (NISA) of Japan (www.nisa.meti.go.jp/english/index.html)
- World Health Organization (http://www.who.int/hac/crises/jpn/en/index.html)
- Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) (http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/index-e.html)
- For further advisories, please call the PNRI trunklines with Tel Nos. 929-6010 to 19 or visit the following:
- DOST (www.dost.gov.ph)
- PNRI (www.pnri.dost.gov.ph)
- STII (www.stii.dost.gov.ph)
