Transfer of 137Cs into fish in small forest lakes

The transfer of Cs-137 into fish in seepage and drainage lakes from 1988 to 1992 was analysed using linear regression. Empirical results for Cs-137 in lake water and fish were used to calculate concentration factors (CFs). In the drainage lakes the CF decreased during the study period by 9% per year whereas in the seepage lakes the CF increased significantly by 4.3% per year. The transfer of Cs-137 into pike was significantly (1.6 times) higher than that into perch. The CF increased on average by 3.4% for each 1-cm increase in the median size of perch. The relationship between the water chemistry and the CF differed between clear-water seepage and brown-water drainage lakes. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.