Accumulation of polonium 210Po, uranium (234U and 238U) and plutonium (238Pu and 239+240Pu) in tissues and organs of deer Carvidae from northern Poland

Abstract

Livers, kidneys and muscles of large herbivorous animals: roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), red deer (Cervus elaphus) and fallow deer (Dama dama), collected in northern Poland, were the subject of the investigation. Polonium, uranium and plutonium activities were measured using alpha spectrometry along with relevant radiochemical procedures. The average concentrations of 210Po ranged between 0.02±0.01 Bq kg−1 ww in muscles and 7.15±0.12 Bq kg−1 ww in kidneys. The concentration of 238U ranged widely between 2.49±0.18 and 69.37±5.45 mBq kg−1 ww. The average concentrations of 239+240Pu ranged between 0.18±0.04 mBq kg−1 ww in muscle and 2.77±0.60 mBq kg−1 ww in kidneys. Statistical analysis showed that the sampling location, sex, age and species did not influence on the radioisotope activities in the analyzed samples.

Keywords

• polonium
• uranium
• plutonium
• deer
• Carvidae
• bioaccumulation
• Poland bioaccumulation