137Cs and 40K in gray seals Halichoerus grypus in the southern Baltic Sea

Abstract

This study presents levels of 137Cs and 40K concentrations in the placentas of seals gathered in the period 2007–2015. The mean activity of 137Cs and 40K was 5.49 Bq kg−1w.w. and 136.6 Bq kg−1 ww respectively. Statistically significant correlation was observed between the 137Cs activities in placenta and in herring—the staple food for seals. The concentrations of 137Cs and 40K were also determined in other tissues (muscle, liver, lung, and brain) of wild seals. The concentrations of 137Cs were from 2.59 Bq−1 ww (lungs) to 24.3 Bq kg−1 ww (muscles). The transfer factor values for 137Cs (seal tissue/fish) ranged from 0.89 to 2.42 in the case of the placentas and from 1.35 to 8.17 in the case of the muscle. For adults seal, the effective dose from 137Cs was 2.98 nGy h−1. The mean external radiation dose to pup was 0.77 nGy h−1 from 137Cs and 6.69 nGy h−1 from 40K.