Developmental and hemocytological effects of ingesting Fukushima's radiocesium on the cabbage white butterfly Pieris rapae.

ABSTRACT: High morphological abnormality and mortality rates have been reported in the pale grass blue butterfly, Zizeeria maha, since the Fukushima nuclear accident. However, it remains uncertain if these effects are restricted to this butterfly. Here, we evaluated the effects of ingesting cabbage leaves grown with contaminated soils from Fukushima on the development and hemocytes of the cabbage white butterfly, Pieris rapae. Contaminated cabbage leaves containing various low levels of anthropogenic ¹³⁴Cs and ¹³⁷Cs radioactivity (less than natural ⁴⁰K radioactivity) were fed to larvae from Okinawa, the least contaminated locality in Japan. Negative developmental and morphological effects were detected in the experimental groups. The cesium (but not potassium) radioa

SUBMITTER: Taira W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6385249 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature