A study of radium bioaccumulation in freshwater mussels, Velesunio angasi, in the Magela Creek catchment, Northern Territory, Australia.
Freshwater mussels, Velesunio angasi, along Magela Creek in Australia's Northern Territory were examined to study radionuclide activities in mussel flesh and to investigate whether the Ranger Uranium mine is contributing to the radium loads in mussels downstream of the mine. Radium loads in mussels of the same age were highest in Bowerbird Billabong, located 20 km upstream of the mine site. Variations in the ratio of [Ra]:[Ca] in filtered water at the sampling sites accounted for the variations found in mussel radium loads with natural increases in calcium (Ca) in surface waters in a downstream gradient along the Magela Creek catchment gradually reducing radium uptake in mussels. At Mudginberri Billabong, 12 km downstream of the mine, concentration factors for radium have not significantly changed over the past 25 years since the mine commenced operations and this, coupled with a gradual decrease of the (228)Ra/(226)Ra activity ratios observed along the catchment, indicates that the (226)Ra accumulated in mussels is of natural rather than mine origin. The (228)Th/(228)Ra ratio has been used to model radium uptake and a radium biological half-life in mussels of approximately 13 years has been determined. The long biological half-life and the low Ca concentrations in the water account for the high radium concentration factor of 30,000-60,000 measured in mussels from the Magela Creek catchment.
Bollhöfer
Andreas
A
Environmental Research Institute of the Supervising Scientist (eriss), GPO Box 461, Darwin, NT 0801, Australia. andreas.bollhoefer@environment.gov.au
Brazier
Jenny
J
Humphrey
Chris
C
Ryan
Bruce
B
Esparon
Andrew
A
D000818:Animals; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002130:Calcium Phosphates / Q000378:metabolism; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D015876:Northern Territory; D011883:Radium / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity*; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity*
D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive; C020243:calcium phosphate; D011883:Radium