RADIONUCLIDES IN THE ADRIATIC SEA AND RELATED DOSE-RATE ASSESSMENT FOR MARINE BIOTA

Artificial and natural radionuclides were determined in the Adriatic Sea in the seawater and sediment samples in the period from 2007 to 2011. The sampling areas were coastal waters of Slovenia, Croatia and Albania, together with the deepest part of the Adriatic in South Adriatic Pit and Otranto strait. Sampling locations were chosen to take into account all major geological and geographical features of this part of the Adriatic Sea and possible coastal influences. After initial sample preparation steps, samples were measured by gamma-ray spectrometry. In the seawater K-40 activity concentrations were in the range from 6063 to 10519 Bq m(-3), Cs-137 from 1.6 to 3.8 Bq m(-3), Ra-226 from 23 to 31 Bq m(-3), Ra-228 from 1 to 25 Bq m(-3) and U-238 from 64 to 490 Bq m(-3). The results of sediment samples showed that K-40 was in the range from 87 to 593 Bq kg(-1), Cs-137 from 0.8 to 7.3 Bq kg(-1), Ra-226 from 18 to 35 Bq kg(-1), Ra-228 from 4 to 29 Bq kg(-1) and U-238 from 14 to 120 Bq kg(-1). In addition, the ERICA Assessment Tool was used for the assessment of dose rates for reference marine organisms using the activity concentrations of the determined radionuclides in seawater. The assessment showed that for the most of the organisms, the dose rates were within the background levels, indicating that the determined values for seawater does not pose a significant risk for the most of marine biota. In the study, the results are critically discussed and compared with other similar studies worldwide. Generally, the activity concentrations of the examined radionuclides did not differ from those reported for the rest of the Mediterranean Sea.