Japanese scientists have found measurable concentrations of radioactive iodine-131 and caesium-137 in seawater samples taken 30 km (18 miles) from land, the U.N. nuclear watchdog said Thursday.
"The iodine concentrations were at or above Japanese regulatory limits, and the cesium levels were well below those limits," the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said.
Japanese authorities had given the Vienna-based agency data on samples collected on March 22-23, after detecting iodine and cesium in the water near the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, it said in a statement.
"The IAEA's Marine Environmental Laboratory in Monaco has received the data for review," the IAEA said.
In a desperate attempt to cool the reactors and their spent fuel ponds, workers have sprayed or dumped seawater into the plant. Officials have acknowledged that some of the water spilled back to sea.
Japanese authorities tested seawater off the plant's site for radiation earlier this week but stressed that elevated levels already detected were no cause for concern.
The IAEA said a vessel from Japan's Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology had "collected water samples at several points 30 km from the coastline and found measurable concentrations of iodine-131 and caesium-137."
It also said three workers at the plant had been exposed to "elevated levels" of radiation, giving details about an incident reported earlier T
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