Po and Pb bioaccumulation and possible related dose assessment in parasol mushroom (Macrolepiota procera).

Presented are results of a study on accumulation and distribution of Po and Pb in the fruitbodies of parasol mushroom (Macrolepiota procera) and risk to human consumer due to exposure from highly radiotoxic decay particles emitted by both radionuclides. Mushrooms were collected from 16 forested places in central and northern regions of Poland. Activity concentrations of Po and Pb were determined after radiochemical separation of nuclides and subsequent measurement using validated method and alpha spectrometer.

Determination of Po and Pb in red-capped scaber (Leccinum aurantiacum): bioconcentration and possible related dose assessment.

The paper presents the studies on Po and Pb activity determination in red-capped scaber (Leccinum aurantiacum (Bulliard) Gray) collected in northern Poland. The aims of the studies were to determine Po and Pb content in analyzed mushrooms, evaluate the bioconcentration levels, and estimate possible related annual effective radiation dose to mushrooms consumers. The activities of Po and Pb in red-capped scaber were un-uniform and depended on sampling sites.

Pb in magnesium dietary supplements.

The idea behind this study was to investigate the most popular magnesium dietary supplements as a potential additional source of Pb in the human diet. The paper presents the results of Pb activities determined in different magnesium supplements, as well as an estimation of the annual effective radiation doses from Pb decay. The results showed that the highest value of Pb activity was found in a magnesium supplement of natural origin (dolomite) with a value of 2.

Radiolead (210)Pb and (210)Po/(210)Pb activity ratios in calcium supplements and the assessment of their possible dose to consumers.

This paper presents the results of pioneer study of the most popular calcium supplements as a potential additional source of radiolead (210)Pb in human diet. The analyzed calcium pharmaceutics contained organic or inorganic calcium compounds; some came from natural sources as mussels' shells, fish extracts, or sedimentary rocks. The idea was to investigate the naturally occurring (210)Pb activity in different calcium supplements and calculate the annual effective radiation dose from radiolead (210)Pb decay in consumed calcium supplement.

Determination of (210)Po in calcium supplements and the possible related dose assessment to the consumers.

The aim of this pioneer study was to investigate the most popular calcium supplements as a potential additional source of polonium (210)Po in human diet. The analyzed calcium pharmaceutics contained organic or inorganic calcium compounds; some from natural sources as mussels' shells, fish extracts, or sedimentary rocks. The objectives of this research were to investigate the naturally occurring (210)Po activity concentrations in calcium supplements, find the correlations between (210)Po concentration in medicament and calcium chemical form, and calculate the effective radiation dose connected to analyzed calcium supplement consumption.

Radiolead (210)Pb and (210)Po/(210)Pb activity ratios in dogs' hair.

The aim of this study was to determine activity concentrations of radiolead (210)Pb as well as (210)Po/(210)Pb activity ratios in dog hair. The objectives of this research were also to investigate the utility of domestic animal hair as a noninvasive indicator of metal exposure for radiotoxic, naturally occurring (210)Pb and find the correlations between (210)Pb concentration in hair and age, gender, hair type or diet of analyzed animals. The highest (210)Pb concentrations were measured in a 2-year-old Shih Tzus (9.

Characterization of (241)Pu occurrence, distribution, and bioaccumulation in seabirds from northern Eurasia.

The paper presents unique data of plutonium (241)Pu study in seabirds from northern Eurasia, permanently or temporally living at the southern Baltic Sea coast. Together, ten marine birds species were examined, as follows: three species that permanently reside at the southern Baltic, four species of wintering birds, and three species of migrating birds; 366 samples were analyzed. The obtained results indicated plutonium was non-uniformly distributed in organs and tissues of analyzed seabirds.

Vertical distribution of (241)Pu in the southern Baltic Sea sediments.

The vertical distribution of plutonium (241)Pu in marine sediments can assist in determining the deposition history and sedimentation process of analyzed regions. In addition, (241)Pu/(239+240)Pu activity ratio could be used as a sensitive fingerprint for radioactive source identification. The present preliminary studies on vertical distribution of (241)Pu in sediments from four regions of the southern Baltic Sea are presented.

A study on determination of potentially hazardous plutonium isotopes in environmental samples.

Due to the lack of stable plutonium isotopes, and the high mobility as well as long half-life, plutonium is considered one of the most important radioelement in safety assessment of environmental radioactivity and nuclear waste management. A number of analytical methods have been developed over the past decades for determination of plutonium in environmental samples. The article discusses different analytical techniques and presents the results of plutonium isotopes determination by alpha spectrometry and accelerator mass spectrometry in environmental samples.

Pu in the biggest Polish rivers.

In the paper the results of Pu activity concentration determination in the biggest Polish rivers are presented. The analysis of more than 100 river water samples showed the Vistula and the Odra as well as three Pomeranian Rivers are important sources of Pu in the southern Baltic Sea. There were differences in Pu activities depending on season and sampling site and the plutonium contamination came mainly from the global atmospheric fallout as well as the Chernobyl accident, which is confirmed by plutonium activity ratios of Pu/Pu and Pu/Pu.

Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) in plutonium analysis.

The paper summarizes the results of the Pu/Pu atomic ratio studies in atmospheric fallout samples collected in 1986 over Gdynia (Poland) as well as three Baltic fish species collected in 1997 using the accelerator mass spectrometry. A new generation of AMS has been developed during last years and this method is an efficient and good technique to measure long-lived radioisotopes in the environment and provides the most accurate determination of the atomic ratios between Pu and Pu. The nuclide compositions of plutonium in filter samples correspond to their means of production.

The inflow of 238Pu and (239+240)Pu from the Odra and Pomeranian rivers catchments area to the Baltic Sea.

The aim of the work was to estimate plutonium inflow from the Odra River catchments area to the Baltic Sea. The highest activities of (238)Pu and (239+240)Pu were observed in a winter and a spring season. The highest annual surface inflow of (239+240)Pu from the Odra River watershed was observed for a mountain tributary the Bóbr (1230 Bq km(-2) year(-1)).

Plutonium fractionation in southern Baltic Sea sediments.

In this study, different chemical plutonium fractions (dissolved in water, connected to carbonates, connected to oxides, complexed with organic matter, mineral acids soluble and the rest) in sediments from the Vistula River estuary, the Gdańsk Basin and the Bornholm Deep were determined. The distribution of (239+240)Pu in analysed sediments samples was not uniform but dependent on its chemical form, depth and the sediment geomorphology. The highest amount of plutonium exists in middle parts of sediments and comes from the global atmospheric fallout from nuclear tests in 1958-1961.

Polonium, uranium and plutonium radionuclides in aquatic and land ecosystem of Poland.

This article presents the results of study about distribution, inflow and accumulation of polonium, uranium and plutonium in aquatic and land environment of Poland and the southern Baltic Sea. Radionuclides of (210)Po, (234)U and (238)U as well as (239+240)Pu and (241)Pu are strongly accumulated in Baltic organisms and plants and transferred through the trophic chain. The values of bioconcentration factor (BCF) in Baltic plants and animals are higher for polonium and plutonium in comparison with uranium.

Plutonium bioaccumulation in seabirds.

The aim of the paper was plutonium (²³⁸Pu and ²³⁹⁺²⁴⁰Pu) determination in seabirds, permanently or temporarily living in northern Poland at the Baltic Sea coast. Together 11 marine birds species were examined: 3 species permanently residing in the southern Baltic, 4 species of wintering birds and 3 species of migrating birds. The obtained results indicated plutonium is non-uniformly distributed in organs and tissues of analyzed seabirds.

The inflow of (238)Pu and (239+240)Pu from the Vistula River catchment area to the Baltic Sea.

The aim of the work was to estimate plutonium inflow from the Vistula River's catchments area to the Baltic Sea. There were differences in plutonium activities depending on season and sampling site. The highest activities of (238)Pu and (239+240)Pu were transported from the Vistula River watershed to the Baltic Sea in spring and the lowest in summer.