Baseline measurements of 210Po and 210Pb in the seafood of Kasimedu fishing harbour, Chennai, South East Coast of India and related dose to population

Abstract

The Bioaccumulation studies of natural radionuclides such as 210Po & 210Pb was carried out to explain the radiation levels of Kasimedu fishing harbour, Chennai, southeast coast of India. Abiotic components like water, sediment and biotic components (Fish species: Synagris japonicas, Megalapsis cordyla, Engraulis indicus and Sciaena aneus) crustaceans (Shrimp species: Fenneropenaeus indicus and Fenneropenaeus monodon; Crab species: Scylla serrata and Portunus sanguinolentus), were taken as experimental samples. The observed concentration of natural radionuclide 210Po was 3.6 mBq·L−1, and 210Pb was 1.90 m mBq·L−1 in the water samples of Kasimedu fishing harbour and the concentration of 210Po was 21.3 Bq kg−1 and 210Pb was 35.7 Bq kg−1 in sediment samples. The higher accumulation rates of 210Po & 210Pb were observed in crustacean crab species Scylla serrata than in other biotic samples shows that, it can be used as a bioindicator for radionuclides in the Kasimedu fishing harbour. The concentration factor of 210Po ranged from 6.5 × 103 to 9.3 × 105 but for 210Pb ranged from 3.8 × 103 to 4.8 × 105. The acquired effective dose for population was calculated and the results were discussed in the range from 30.1 to 630.8 μSv/year for 210Po and 22.7–287.5 μSv/year for 210Pb. Keywords: Kasimedu fishing harbour, Natural radionuclides, Concentration factor, Seafood