Nuclear Energy for New Europe 2009

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No: 1009

Conference: Nuclear Energy for New Europe 2009

Title: Assessment of Po-210 Ingestion Dose Due to Fish and Squid Consumption from Slovenian Market

Theme: Radiation and Environment

Author(s): Marko Štrok, Borut Smodiš

Contact : Marko Štrok

E-mail: marko.strok@ijs.si

Address: Institut "Jožef Stefan" O2
1001 Ljubljana

Country: Slovenia

Po-210 is one of the most radiotoxic radionuclides, which is evident from the predicted effective dose of the unit of intake. This value is about 10 to 10000 times higher than for most of other radionuclides. Radiotoxicity of Po-210 is connected with the fact that it emits alpha particles with relatively high energy of about 5.3 MeV and that it is accumulated in the soft tissues, such as muscles, livers and others. Elevated levels of Po-210 in fish and squids can therefore, depending on consumption, yield in high ingestion doses for humans.
Analysis of the fish and squid consumption in Slovenia was performed on the basis of Eurostat and FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) data. This data was used as basis for purchase of 9 fish species and 2 squid samples in Ljubljana shops. Fish and squid samples were cleaned, freeze dried and homogenized. To the each sample, radioactive tracer Po-209 was added in order to determine radiochemical recovery of the separation procedure. Each sample was digested with HNO3, HCl and H2O2. Po-210 was then separated from other radionuclides by its spontaneous deposition onto a Cu disc in diluted HCl. Po-210 specific activity was measured with alpha spectrometry system equipped with PIPS (Passivated implanted planar silicon) detectors. Activity concentrations of Po-210 in fish were in the range from 0.045 to 35.1 Bq/kg fresh weight and in squid from 0.89 to 6.1 Bq/kg fresh weight. Assessed yearly effective ingestion dose is 34 µSv/year due to fish consumption and 5.0 µSv/year due to squid consumption.

No:	1009
Conference:	Nuclear Energy for New Europe 2009
Title:	Assessment of Po-210 Ingestion Dose Due to Fish and Squid Consumption from Slovenian Market
Theme:	Radiation and Environment
Author(s):	Marko Štrok, Borut Smodiš
Contact :	Marko Štrok
E-mail:	marko.strok@ijs.si
Address:	Institut "Jožef Stefan" O2 1001 Ljubljana
Country:	Slovenia

Po-210 is one of the most radiotoxic radionuclides, which is evident from the predicted effective dose of the unit of intake. This value is about 10 to 10000 times higher than for most of other radionuclides. Radiotoxicity of Po-210 is connected with the fact that it emits alpha particles with relatively high energy of about 5.3 MeV and that it is accumulated in the soft tissues, such as muscles, livers and others. Elevated levels of Po-210 in fish and squids can therefore, depending on consumption, yield in high ingestion doses for humans. Analysis of the fish and squid consumption in Slovenia was performed on the basis of Eurostat and FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) data. This data was used as basis for purchase of 9 fish species and 2 squid samples in Ljubljana shops. Fish and squid samples were cleaned, freeze dried and homogenized. To the each sample, radioactive tracer Po-209 was added in order to determine radiochemical recovery of the separation procedure. Each sample was digested with HNO3, HCl and H2O2. Po-210 was then separated from other radionuclides by its spontaneous deposition onto a Cu disc in diluted HCl. Po-210 specific activity was measured with alpha spectrometry system equipped with PIPS (Passivated implanted planar silicon) detectors. Activity concentrations of Po-210 in fish were in the range from 0.045 to 35.1 Bq/kg fresh weight and in squid from 0.89 to 6.1 Bq/kg fresh weight. Assessed yearly effective ingestion dose is 34 µSv/year due to fish consumption and 5.0 µSv/year due to squid consumption.