Assessment of Radioactivity Level in the Terrestrial and Marine Organisms in Yangjiang and Its Adjacent Areas (China)

Dongmei Li, Zhongchen Jiang, Li Zhao, Feng Zhao and Peng Zhou
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Dongmei Li: South China Sea Environment Monitoring Center, State Oceanic Administration (SOA), Guangzhou 510300, China
Zhongchen Jiang: South China Sea Environment Monitoring Center, State Oceanic Administration (SOA), Guangzhou 510300, China
Li Zhao: South China Sea Environment Monitoring Center, State Oceanic Administration (SOA), Guangzhou 510300, China
Feng Zhao: South China Sea Environment Monitoring Center, State Oceanic Administration (SOA), Guangzhou 510300, China
Peng Zhou: South China Sea Environment Monitoring Center, State Oceanic Administration (SOA), Guangzhou 510300, China

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 16, 1-13

Abstract: In order to assess the radioactive level in the terrestrial and marine organisms in Yangjiang and the adjacent areas, 90 Sr, gross beta and gamma-emitting radionuclides ( 238 U, 226 Ra, 228 Th, 226 Ra, 40 K, 137 Cs, 51 Cr, 55 Fe, 54 Mn, 58 Co, 60 Co and 65 Zn) were analyzed from 2011 to 2012. The annual effective doses were estimated in the high natural radioactive background areas in Yangjiang (HBRAYJ). The specific activities of 238 U, 228 Th, 226 Ra, 40 K and 137 Cs in all organisms were <0.05–5.20, 0.30–14.50, 0.11–3.58, 11.1–148.0 and <0.003–0.088 Bq/kg, whilst 51 Cr, 55 Fe, 54 Mn, 58 Co, 60 Co, 65 Zn and 110m Ag were below the minimum detectable activity. 90 Sr and gross beta specific activities were 20.0–143.0 and 0.021–0.316 Bq/kg. Results show that 228 Th was significantly higher than 238 U and 226 Ra of natural U series in organisms due to the rich-Th soils in the HBRAYJ; 228 Th, 226 Ra, 40 K, 137 Cs and 90 Sr were greatly lower than the limited concentrations in Chinese foods. The internal dose mainly contributes to natural 40 K, 226 Ra and 228 Th. It is useful to provide some basic data and assess the radiological risk from the HBRAYJ and Yangjiang nuclear power plants in future.

Keywords: radioactivity; risk assessment; terrestrial and marine organisms; Yangjiang and the adjacent areas (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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