Workers in the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant were attempting to reduce radioactive contamination in waters off the coastal power station, the Jiji Press agency reported Saturday.
Some 300 kilograms of zeolith, a mineral that authorities hope will absorb radioactivity from water being pumped the Fukushima reactors, were deposited into the Pacific Ocean, just outside a pipe leading out of reactor 1, dpa reported.
More of the mineral is available for use over the weekend.
The Fukushima plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co, is studying how effective the method might be in reducing radioactive contamination flowing into the ocean. If effective, zeolith could be used inside the plants several damaged reactor buildings, which are fill with water that now carried very high levels of radioactivity.