TOKYO, September 26. /TASS corr./ The water discharged from the Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant may wind its way to waters near the Russian Far East, but the tritium contained in it will not have a negative impact on the environment, seafood or the human body, Yuki Kobayashi, author of many works on nuclear safety issues, a researcher of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, one of Japan's leading research and charity centers, told a TASS correspondent.

"The water discharged from the Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant, generally cleaned of radioactive substances, will initially move southward along Japan's east coast byway of the cold Oyashio Current," the expert said. "Theoretically, it could be picked up by the northward-flowing warm Tsushima Current, delivering the tritium contained in this water to Russian shores."

"Tritium as an isotope of hydrogen when combined with seawater, has an extremely weak penetrating radioactive force," the expert believes. "It is possible to picture a situation in which tritium would get on the skin of a person bathing in the sea off the Russian coast. However, I can assure you that tritium will not be able to enter the human body through the skin."

"This substance can also be ingested by fish," the TASS source noted. "However, due to the weak penetrating radioactive force, it will not lead to internal irradiation of their organs and will be eliminated from the body. In any case, it is obvious that even theoretically, an extremely small amount of tritium can get into Russian waters.

Water dumping operation

In March 2011, a tsunami struck the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, knocking out power and cooling facilities, resulting in the meltdown of nuclear fuel in three reactors, the destruction of their vessels, explosions and the release of large amounts of radioactive material. To date, the territory of the plant and surrounding areas have been practically cleaned up. However, water is being continuously poured into the destroyed reactors to cool the nuclear fuel fragments, flowing out through gaps with heavy radioactive contamination.

It is treated, but afterwards still contains tritium, which cannot be removed. More than 1,34 million tons of water has now accumulated on the territory of the nuclear power plant, filling more than 1,040 steel tanks. The Japanese government previously decided to gradually release the treated water into the ocean. This operation will take 30-40 years.

On September 1, the discharge of the first batch of about 7,8 thousand tons of water was completed. By the end of the current fiscal year (ending March 31, 2024), about 31,200 tons are planned to be discharged into the ocean.

This operation has been approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Apart from purification, the water from the nuclear power plant is highly diluted with seawater. Tritium and other radioactive isotopes remain there in insignificant amounts, well below permissible standards, Tokyo says. Measurements taken in the ocean by Japanese authorities and the IAEA have so far confirmed these claims. Tokyo's decision to drain the water has drawn criticism from a number of states, primarily China, which is demanding a halt to the operation.