Investigation of radiocesium distribution in organs of wild boar grown in Iitate, Fukushima after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident

The concentrations of radiocesium in different organs of wild boar inhabiting Iitate, Fukushima were measured, after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident. After dissection, about 24 parts were collected and measured using a NaI gamma ray counter. In 2012, the radiocesium concentration (134Cs and 137Cs) was highest in muscle (approximately 15,000 Bq kg−1) and low in ovary, bone and thyroid gland, indicating large variation among tissues. Radiocesium concentrations in 24 different organs revealed the pattern of distribution of radiocesium in wild boar and indicated its availability in the ecosystem of the forests and villages where the boars matured.