Concentration of natural radionuclides (<SUP align=right>40</SUP>K <SUP align=right>228</SUP>Ra and <SUP align=right>226</SUP>Ra) in seafood and their dose to coastal adult inhabitants around Kudankulam, Gulf o

Abstract

The concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides, such as 40K 228Ra and 226Ra, were determined in the edible fin fish and shellfish, consumed by most coastal inhabitants around Kudankulam. Fin fish and shellfish were collected from eight different sampling points within 30 km radius from the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project site. The samples were processed and counted using HPGe γ-ray spectrometry. In fin fish, 40K activity ranged from 34.16 to 360.7 Bq kg−1 fresh, 228Ra ranged from Below Detectable Limit (BDL) ≤ 0.12 to 1.9 Bq kg−1 fresh and 226Ra ranged from BDL ≤ 0.06 to 0.18 Bq kg−1 fresh. In shellfish, 40K, 228Ra and 226Ra activities ranged from 15.6 to 96.6 Bq kg−1 fresh; from 0.61 to 6.61 Bq kg−1 fresh and from BDL ≤ 0.06 to 1.15 Bq kg−1 fresh, respectively. The total daily intake resulting from consumption of fin fish and shellfish was 63.15 Bq kg−1 d−1 for 40K, 0.54 Bq kg−1 d−1 for 228Ra and 0.096 Bq kg−1 d−1 for 226Ra. The annual dosage resulting from ingestion of natural radionuclides was 1.76 ? 10−4 Sv yr−1 for fishermen, 2.51 ? 10−5 Sv yr−1 for farmers and 2.01 ? 10−5 Sv yr−1 for labourers. In general, 40K 228Ra and 226Ra contribute a total dose of 1.43 ? 10−4 Sv yr−1, 5.61 ? 10−5 Sv yr−1 and 2.35 ? 10−5 Sv yr−1, respectively.