title: (137)Cs, (40)K and (210)Po in marine mammals from the southern Baltic Sea.
abstract: This study provides information on baseline concentrations of the radionuclides Cesium-137, Potassium-40 and Polonium-210 in sea mammals from the Baltic Sea. The radionuclides were analyzed in the liver, kidney and muscle of harbor porpoises, striped dolphins, and gray and ringed seals from the Polish coast by γ- and α-spectrometry. Median (137)Cs activities were 14.8, 13.2 and 23.2 Bq kg(-1) w.w. in the liver, kidney and muscles, respectively. Activities of (40)K and (210)Po in the respective tissues were found to be 79.1, 79.8 and 111 Bq kg(-1) for (40)K and 58.1, 59.2 and 32.9 Bq kg(-1) for (210)Po. The measured (137)Cs concentrations were extraordinarily high in comparison to those reported in sea mammals from other locations. However, dose assessments did not imply health effects from (137)Cs exposure in Baltic Sea mammals. Correlations between (137)Cs tissue activities and reported sea water concentrations highlight the potential use of marine mammals for biomonitoring purposes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway. Electronic address: tomasz.ciesielski@bio.ntnu.no.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ciesielski
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Marine Biotechnology, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Science, ul. Powstańców Warszawy 55, 81-712 Sopot, Poland.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Góral
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Sciences, Medical University of Gdańsk, ul. Hallera 107, 80-416 Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Szefer
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Bjørn Munro
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Jenssen
authors.affiliation: Radiochemistry Laboratory, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Science, ul. Powstańców Warszawy 55, 81-712 Sopot, Poland.
authors.forename: Ryszard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bojanowski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D007668:Kidney / Q000737:chemistry; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry; D008322:Mammals; D011044:Poland; D011059:Polonium / Q000032:analysis*; D011197:Potassium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D012623:Seawater; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D011197:Potassium Radioisotopes; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive; D011059:Polonium
keywords: Baltic Sea; Biomonitoring; Marine mammals; Radionuclides