Distribution and annual committed effective dose assessment of 210Po in popular marine species at the near-shore Binh Thuan province, Vietnam

Investigating radiation profiles and conducting risk assessment for ecological and environmental components on Vaan and Koswari islands in the Tuticorin group of islands, India

Natural radioactive concentration assessment was conducted on sediment, water, and biota obtained on Vaan and Koswari islands in the Tuticorin group of islands, Tamil Nadu, India. For biotic and abiotic components, radiation profiles such as gross alpha, beta, primordial radionuclide, polonium, and lead analyses were performed. The gross α and β range from BDL to 15.18 ± 1.7 Bq/kg and 40.43 ± 4.9 Bq/kg to 105.12 ± 11.7 Bq/kg, respectively. Primordial radionuclides were analyzed using Nal(TI)-based scintillator with PC-MCA, and the concentrations ranged from 13.43 ± 3.3 Bq/kg to 30.97 ± 9.6 Bq/kg with a mean of 21.31 ± 2.7 Bq/kg for 238U; for 232Th, the values ranged from 11.09 ± 2.6 Bq/kg to 33.55 ± 9.5 Bq/kg with an average value of 23.89 ± 3.7 Bq/kg; and for 40 K, the values are 93.33 ± 27.3 Bq/kg to 219.91 ± 39.6 Bq/kg with an average value of 148.27 ± 21.7 Bq/kg. The present study values are lesser than the world average values. 210Po and 210Pb concentrations with an average value were determined to be 33.13 Bq/L and 16.56 Bq/L, 47.55 Bq/L and 22.37 Bq/L in the water sample, and 50.437 Bq kg1 and 62.012 Bq kg1, 46.99 Bq/kg and 58.625 Bq/kg in sediments of Vaan island and Koswari island. The concentrations of 210Po and 210Pb of Pogonias cromis were 19.27 ± 1.5 Bq/kg and 8.27 ± 1.01 Bq/kg, Belonidae 28.54 ± 2.4 Bq/kg and 18.32 ± 2.3 Bq/kg, Lepisosteidae 18.68 ± 1.4 Bq/kg and 11.17 ± 1.8 Bq/kg. The committed effective dosage was determined to be 35.74-54.61 µSv/y for 210Po and 25.39-56.25 µSv/y for 210Pb, in which the 210Pb value is lower; however, the 210Po value is higher than the global average value. The annual committed effective dosage as well as the radiological hazard indices were assessed and found to be much below the global average and the recommended limit, respectively. This research provides an extensive analysis of natural background radiation and establishes a baseline report on the radiological profile of biotic and abiotic factors in the Tuticorin group of islands, namely Vaan and Koswari, in Tamil Nadu, India.

Factors Contributing to Accumulation of 210Po in Freshwater Fishes in Dong Thai Lake, Vietnam and Radiological Hazard Assessment

210Po (polonium), one of the most toxic naturally occurring radionuclides, is well-known as a common natural radionuclide in fish species. Human consumption of 210Po-contaminated fish could result in a significant internal dose. This study determined by alpha spectrometry the 210Po activity in sixteen selected fish species with different living behaviors (pelagic, demersal), trophic positions (herbivores, carnivores, omnivorous), and masses in Dong Thai Lake, Hanoi, Vietnam. The min, max, and average of the 210Po concentration of sixteen fish species were 0.80 ± 0.44, 12.7 ± 0.20, and 3.54 ± 0.31 Bq kg-1, respectively. Regarding the different living behaviors, trophic positions, and masses, the results showed trending of 210Popelagic > 210Podemersal; 210Poherbivores < 210Pocarnivores < 210Poomnivorous and 210Po<0.2 kg > 210Po0.2-1 kg > 210Po>1 kg, respectively. The 210Po concentrations in muscle tissue were greater in fish species with a small mass, omnivorous trophic position, and pelagic living behavior relative to demersal fish with a larger mass that were herbivores or carnivores. In addition, the results showed an uneven distribution of 210Po activities in atmospheric aerosols, terrestrial soils, surface waters, and lake sediments in the study area. The primary source of 210Po could be supplied from atmospheric aerosols and/or terrestrial soils in the study area. The 210Po annual effective dose for adults due to fish consumption has been calculated with a range from 20 to 400 µSv y-1 and 111 µSv. y-1 on average, and it is far below the allowable limits of 1000 µSv y-1.

Characteristics of 210Po in Asian overbite clam (Potamocorbula laevis) from the coastal area at Thai Binh province, Vietnam

210Po concentration in the edible muscle tissue and digestive diverticulum organs of Asian overbite clam at the near-shore Thai Binh, Vietnam was analyzed using alpha detectors. The 210Po activity in muscle tissue and digestive diverticulum organs ranged from 5 ± 1 to 178 ± 10 and from 118 ± 7 to 812 ± 12 Bq.kg-1 with the average value of 25 and 324 Bq.kg-1, respectively. Results showed that 210Po activity in the digestive diverticulum was significantly higher than in the muscle tissue. There was a slightly inverse correlation between 210Po activity in muscle tissue, digestive diverticulum, and clam weight and size. The annual committed effective dose was calculated from 210Po due to the consumption of Asian overbite clam for adults in the study area was higher than the guideline value of 0.2 - 1 mSv.y-1.

Radiological dose and associated risk due to 210Po in commercial inter-tidal bivalves of southwest (Arabian Sea) coast of India

The activity concentration of ²¹⁰Po was determined in edible tissues of commercial bivalves on the southwest coast of India. The ²¹⁰Po activity ranged from 38.3 ± 6.9 Bq kg^-1 to 91.2 ± 18.6 Bq kg^-1. The annual committed effective dose (ACED) and lifetime carcinogenic risk (LCR) were calculated for different age groups to determine the potential health risk associated with bivalve consumption. The average ACED ranged from 81.5 to 194.1 μSv y^-1, with the 10th and 95th percentiles being 68 and 261 μSv y^-1, respectively. Lifelong mortality risk (LMTR) values ranged from 1.2 × 10^-3 to 2.9 × 10^-3, while lifetime morbidity risk (LMBR) values ranged from 1.9 × 10^-6 to 4.9 × 10^-6. The effective dose was found to be within the UNSCEAR limits.

Evaluation of the radiological dose due to 210Po in commercial clupeid fish collected in the near-shore environment of the high background natural radiation area (HBNRA) on the southwest coast of India

In this study, we quantified the tissue concentration of ²¹⁰Po in a variety of commercial sardine fish species of the family Clupeidae from an area of high background natural radiation area on the southwest coast of India. The smooth belly sardine Amblygaster leiogaster had the lowest ²¹⁰Po concentration in its muscle (45.6 ± 7.9 Bq kg^-1 fresh), while the goldstripe sardine Sardinella gibbosa had the highest (103.4 ± 10.1 Bq kg^-1 fresh). The Annual Committed Effective Dose (ACED) of fried sardine and sardine curry were 134.3-304.3 μSv y^-1 and 226.6-513.5 μSv y^-1, respectively. Of the ²¹⁰Po loss, 20 % was due to frying and 10 % to preparing sardine curry. The effective dose was found to be globally comparable and well below the world limit. Consumption of sardines containing ²¹⁰Po would not pose a health hazard to the residents of Manavalakurchi.

Gross beta and alpha activities in the selected commercial freshwater fish species in Vietnam

The baseline data of radioactivity levels in food is one of the main factors for the assessment of resident's health risk. Gross beta and alpha activity was identified for selected commercial freshwater fish species, including 29 types of fish species by a gas-flow proportional detector. The samples were collected from wholesale markets in Hanoi city, Vietnam. The highest gross alpha activity was recorded in blotched snakehead, a pelagic and carnivorous species, and the lowest one was recorded in common carp, a demersal and omnivorous species. Meanwhile, the gross beta activity was much higher than the gross alpha activity with the highest value of gross beta, observed in Wels catfish, a demersal and carnivorous species, and the lowest one found in Mudskipper a demersal, herbivores species. Regarding feeding types, the gross alpha activity was observed in the order of Al_carnivores > Al_omnivores > Al_herbivores whereas the gross beta was non-distinction. In terms of living behavior, the gross alpha activity in pelagic species was much higher than that in demersal species (Al_pelagic >  > Al_demersal) and indifferent for gross beta. There was an insignificant relationship between the trophic level with gross beta and alpha activities in freshwater fish species. The calculated annual effective dose ​​ranged from 0.19 to 1.88 and 0.78 mSv.y^-1 on average, being within the limited dose for the public as reported by UNSCEAR in which gross beta activity has a strong correlation with the total annual effective dose.

Dose assessment for polonium-210 (Po-210) in New Zealand shellfish

Worldwide, Po-210 is an important contributor to human ionising radiation exposure through food. To characterise the ionising radiation dose for New Zealanders from Po-210 in shellfish, a dose assessment was undertaken. Deterministic and probabilistic dietary models were constructed by assigning shellfish consumption rates to Po-210 activity concentrations measured in shellfish. Modelling was undertaken for different shellfish consumer populations and geographical areas. Dietary modelling estimated an annual dose range from 4 μSv to 6070 μSv. The lowest dose was calculated for the overall shellfish consumer population residing in areas where baseline Po-210 activity concentrations were measured in shellfish. The highest dose was calculated for the high shellfish consumer population residing in areas where elevated activity concentrations were measured in shellfish. For the majority of the New Zealand population, the total estimated dose did not exceed the selected reference level of 1000 μSv, and Po-210 is therefore not a cause of concern. About 50% of high shellfish consumers residing in areas where shellfish had elevated Po-210 activity concentrations were exposed to ionising radiation resulting in an annual dose higher than 1000 μSv. Exposure assessment for different demographic groups identified that higher shellfish consumption rates in the population identifying as Māori lead to higher doses of ionising radiation for this group.