Retention of 51Cr, 59Fe, 60Co, 65Zn, 85Sr, 95Nb, 141mIn and 131I by the Atlantic Croaker (Micropogon Undulatus)

Abstract

Evaluation of the possible effects of radioactive effluents on fisheries and, ultimately, the potential hazards to people requires a knowledge of the retention of radionuclides by fish. We measured retention of 51Cr, 59Fe, 60Co, 65Zn, 85Sr, 95Nb, 141mIn and 131I in croaker at ambient temperatures and salinities of local waters following single intraperitoneal injections. We also measured retention of 85Sr and 131I in various croaker tissues. Retention of all nuclides, except 60Co and 131I, was expressed as two exponential rate functions. Cobalt-60 retention was expressed as a single rate function, and 131I as three rate functions. Biological half lives of long-lived components were as follows: 51Cr-70 days, 59Fe-215, 60Co-31, 65Zn-138, 85Sr-138, 95Nb-465, 114mIn-224 and 131I-24 days. Effective half lives of the same components were as follows: 51Cr-20 days, 59Fe-37.2, 60Co-30.5, 65Zn-88.3, 85Sr-44.2, 95Nb-32.6, 114mIn-40.2 and 131I-6 days. It was concluded that fish containing large amounts of radionuclides with long effective half lives, such as 55Fe, 65Zn and 90Sr, may be hazardous to public health.