Levels of radionuclide concentrations in benthic invertebrate species from the Balearic Islands, Western Mediterranean, during 2012-2018

Abstract

Baseline levels of radionuclides in the marine environment of the Balearic Islands in Western Mediterranean have not been reported in literature. Because of their ecological role and acknowledged sensitivity to pollutants, herein, the activity concentrations of ²¹⁰Po, ⁴⁰K, ²¹⁰Pb, ⁹⁰Sr, and ²³⁴Th were measured in two types of benthic invertebrate species (mussels and sea urchins) sampled during 2012-2018. The activity concentrations of ²¹⁰Po, ⁴⁰K, ²¹⁰Pb, and ²³⁴Th ranged from 38 ± 1 to 325 ± 11 Bq kg^-1 dry weight (d.w.), 220 ± 10 to 996 ± 46 Bq kg^-1 d.w., ND (lower than the limit of detection) to 55 ± 8 Bq kg^-1 d.w., and ND to 70 ± 15 Bq kg^-1 d.w., respectively. In all cases, no artificial ⁹⁰Sr activity was detected in the collected samples. The committed effective dose to humans was calculated to be in the range of 48-640 μSv year^-1.

Keywords: (210)Pb; (210)Po; (234)Th; (90)Sr; Balearic Islands; Benthic invertebrates.