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Filipino Scientists Detect Nuclear Signatures Drifting Into West Philippine Sea
Photo credit: DOST- PNRI Nuclear Materials Research Section
In a groundbreaking discovery that’s making waves in the global science community, Filipino researchers have found traces of radioactive material in the West Philippine Sea — and all signs point north.
Scientists from the DOST–Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI), in collaboration with the UP Marine Science Institute (UP MSI) and the University of Tokyo’s Micro Analysis Laboratory, Tandem Accelerator (MALT), revealed their findings in the international journal Marine Pollution Bulletin (Elsevier).
Their study uncovered elevated levels of iodine-129 (¹²⁹I) — a long-lived radioactive isotope — in the West Philippine Sea. After analyzing 119 seawater samples across Philippine waters, they found that ¹²⁹I levels in the WPS are 1.5 to 1.7 times higher than in other areas of the country.
So where is it coming from?
According to the researchers, ocean currents are carrying these nuclear “fingerprints” all the way from the Yellow Sea, where iodine-129 may have originated from nuclear fuel reprocessing activities and historical weapons tests in northeastern China. The isotope likely traveled via rivers and ocean pathways before reaching Philippine waters.
The good news: These radiation levels pose no threat to public health or the marine environment.
The key takeaway: Regional cooperation is crucial to monitor transboundary radioactive materials and better understand how ocean currents link our region’s environmental systems.
This study is a proud moment for Philippine science — showing how local researchers are using advanced nuclear and oceanographic techniques not just to trace pollution, but to protect our seas and deepen global scientific understanding.
Funding and support for this pioneering research came from the DOST National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) and DOST PCAARRD.
Scientists from the DOST–Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI), in collaboration with the UP Marine Science Institute (UP MSI) and the University of Tokyo’s Micro Analysis Laboratory, Tandem Accelerator (MALT), revealed their findings in the international journal Marine Pollution Bulletin (Elsevier).
Their study uncovered elevated levels of iodine-129 (¹²⁹I) — a long-lived radioactive isotope — in the West Philippine Sea. After analyzing 119 seawater samples across Philippine waters, they found that ¹²⁹I levels in the WPS are 1.5 to 1.7 times higher than in other areas of the country.
So where is it coming from?
According to the researchers, ocean currents are carrying these nuclear “fingerprints” all the way from the Yellow Sea, where iodine-129 may have originated from nuclear fuel reprocessing activities and historical weapons tests in northeastern China. The isotope likely traveled via rivers and ocean pathways before reaching Philippine waters.
The good news: These radiation levels pose no threat to public health or the marine environment.
The key takeaway: Regional cooperation is crucial to monitor transboundary radioactive materials and better understand how ocean currents link our region’s environmental systems.
This study is a proud moment for Philippine science — showing how local researchers are using advanced nuclear and oceanographic techniques not just to trace pollution, but to protect our seas and deepen global scientific understanding.
Funding and support for this pioneering research came from the DOST National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) and DOST PCAARRD.
Nov 10, 2025
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