title: Bioaccumulation of gamma emitting radionuclides inPolysiphonia fucoides.
abstract: The article presents the results of a study on the bioaccumulation abilities ofPolysiphonia fucoides, a red algae specific to the southern Baltic Sea, towards (of) gamma emitting isotopes. A laboratory experiment was carried out to determine changes in the activities of some isotopes-54Mn,57Co,65Zn,110mAg,113Sn,134Cs,137Cs and241Am-occurring inP. fucoidesexposed to a seawater medium containing these isotopes over the course of 1 month. All analyzed isotopes showed the greatest increase of radioactive activity in plant tissue in the first 24 h of exposure. The temporary concentration factors of cesium isotopes were increasing linearly during the experiment from 114 to 274 in the case of137Cs, and from 144 to 351 in the case of134Cs. The level of the initial concentration factor of cesium isotopes in the plant proved to be independent of the initial concentration of the isotope in seawater and it took the lowest (125 dm3kg-1) level among the studied isotopes. In the case of a mixture of gamma emitting isotopes, a linear relation between the individual isotope activity inP. fucoidesand its initial concentration in seawater was established after the first day of exposure; the isotopes initial concentration factors ranged from 767 to 874 dm3kg-1. Having reached the maximal concentration level, a statistically significant decline in radioactivity concentrations of the five isotopes in the plant tissue was observed. A half-life of biological removal of the isotopes from the plant tissue was established at: 3.8 days in the case of54Mn, 4 days-57Co, 4 days-60Co, 4.2 days-137Cs and241Am-3.5 days.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Meteorology and Water Management, National Research Institute, Maritime Branch in Gdynia, Waszyngtona 42, 81-342 Gdynia, Poland.
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zalewska
keywords: Bioaccumulation; Marine macroalgae; Radionuclides