137Cs monitoring in the meat of wild boar population in Slovakia

Katarina Beňová,Marcel Falis,Martin Tomko,Petr Dvořák

doi:10.5219/578

Abstract

Currently, due to the elapsed time and the nature of the Chernobyl accident, the only artificial radionuclide present in the soil is 137Cs, with a physical half-life conversion of 30.17 years. The 137Cs is quickly integrated into a biological cycle, similar to potassium. Generally, radionuclides are characterized by their mobility in soil. Contamination of materials and food by radionuclides represent a serious problem and has a negative impact on human health. The threat of international terrorism and the inability to forestall the impact of natural disasters on nuclear energetic (Fukushima accident), are also reasons for continuous monitoring of food safety. According screening measurement performed in European countries, high radioactivity levels were reported in the wild boars muscles from Sumava (Czech Republic). Seasonal fluctuation of 137Cs activity in the wild boar meat samples was observed in the forests on the southern Rhineland. Monitoring of 137Cs activity in the wild boar meat samples in the hunting grounds in Slovakia was initiated based on the reports on exceeding limits of the content of radiocaesium in the meat of wild boar from the surrounding countries. The aim of this study was to determine the 137Cs post Chernobyl contamination of wild boars population in different hunting districts of Slovakia during 2013 - 2014. A total of 60 thigh muscle samples from wild boars of different age categories (4 months - 2 years) were evaluated. 137Cs activity was measured by gamma spectrometry (Canberra). Despite the fact Slovakia is closer to Chernobyl as Czech Republic and Germany, the 137Cs activity measured was very low and far below the permitted limit. The highest radiocaesium activity level measured in muscle was 37.2 Bq.kg-1 ±4.7%. Wild boar originated from Zlate Moravce district. The measurement results show, that 137Cs contamination levels of game in Slovakia are low. Radiocaesium activity in examined samples was very low and therefore consumption of wild boar meat does not represent a health risk problem.

Highlights

In the terrestrial environment of Europe the contamination by anthropogenic radionuclides comes from two different sources
The highest radiocaesium activity level measured in muscle was 37.2 Bq.kg-1 ±4.7%
In all other muscle samples, the radiocaesium activity levels were below the minimum detectable activity

Summary

Introduction

In the terrestrial environment of Europe the contamination by anthropogenic radionuclides comes from two different sources. In the Central Europe, the most contaminated animal product by Chernobyl accident was the meat of game (Sprem et al 2013). Based on information from the neighboring countries on exceeding limits of radiocaesium content in wild boar meat, monitoring of the hunting grounds in Slovakia was initiated.

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Conclusion