In a joint survey with Colorado State University, University of Georgia, etc., Thomas Hinton, a visiting professor at the Institute for Environmental Radioactivity, Fukushima University, found out that the wildworms and snakes that live in areas where it is difficult to return home due to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident in Fukushima Prefecture. We found that there was no increase in DNA damage or environmental stress.
According to Fukushima University, the research team captured wild boars and rat snakes that were chronically exposed to low-dose radiation in areas where it was difficult to return home, and evaluated whether DNA damage or increased environmental stress could be confirmed.
As a result, wild boars did not show an increase in DNA damage due to chromosomal abnormalities that occur when radiation-cut chromosomes are erroneously repaired.The telomeres at the ends of chromosomes, which are said to decrease in length due to environmental stress, did not change due to exposure to both wild boar and rat snake.
The hormone cortisol, which is an indicator of stress, had a small value for wild boars living in areas where it was difficult to return home.It is believed that there was no human effect that caused great stress on wild boars.This tendency was the same as that of Chernobyl in Ukraine, where the nuclear accident occurred.
The research results will also be presented at an international symposium hosted by the Institute for Environmental Radioactivity, Fukushima University, which will be held on both 11th and 12th until Collasse Fukushima in Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture.
