Distribution of activity concentration and dose rates in selected coastal areas on western and eastern Black Sea

Abstract

Radioactivity measurements were performed, at the east (Georgia) and west (Romania) part of the Black Sea, for natural radionuclides and 137Cs in collected water and sediment samples using lab-based and in situ gamma-ray spectrometry. The activity concentrations of 137Cs at Georgian area in the sediment and seawater ranged between 20 to 50 Bq kg−1 and 8 to 25 Bq m−3, respectively while at the Romanian area the activity concentration ranged from 10 to 30 Bq kg−1 and 3 to 15 Bq m−3, respectively. The activity concentration values of 7Be at the Georgian area reached values up to (30 ± 4) Bq kg−1. The induced dose rates to marine organisms in both areas estimated by the ERICA assessment tool were much lower than the screening value of 10 μGy h−1.