MARINE

RADIOACTIVITY
Arthur Galapon
Environmental Radioactivity
Outline

• Objectives
• Why Study Marine Radioactivity?
• Sources of Radioactivity in Marine Ecosystem
• Radioactivity in Marine Environment
• Radioactivity in Marine Organisms
• Conclusion
Objectives

• How radioactive is the ocean?

• Are we safe from it?
Why Marine Radioactivity?

Remained Unexplored:
99% of Ocean Floor
95% of World’s Ocean
Why Marine Radioactivity?

About 25 percent of all known marine species rely on

coral reefs for food, shelter and breeding. Sometimes
referred to as "the rainforests of the sea" for their
biodiversity, coral reefs are the primary habitat for more
than 4,000 species of fish, 700 species of coral and
thousands of other plants
Why Marine Radioactivity?
SOURCES OF
RADIOACTIVITY IN
MARINE ECOSYSTEM
Sources of Radioactivity
• Natural Sources
Sources of Radioactivity
• Anthropogenic Sources
RADIOACTIVITY IN
MARINE ECOSYSTEM
Radioactivity in Marine Ecosystem

• Examined radioactivity in
surface marine sediments and
coral skeletons from 12
locations in SCS/WPS [Lin, et al.,
2019]
• Samples were collected via
scuba diving
 Radioactivity in Marine Ecosystem

• Used HPGe (high-purity Germanium)

gamma-spectrometry.
• Samples were pulverized and stored in
a tight container and stored (over
30days) before measurement
• Detector used is a Canberra BE6530
with a relative efficiency of 63.4%, and
energy resolution 1.58 keV at the
photopeak of 1332 keV.
Radioactivity in Marine Ecosystem
Radioactivity in Marine Ecosystem
Radium Equivalent Activity Req was defined as that activity concentration of
a radionuclide equivalent to 370 Bq kg−1 of 226Ra, which gives outdoors an
external effective dose rate of 1.5 mGy (1 mSv) per year

Raeq (Bq/kg) = ARa + 1.43ATh + 0.077AK

Radioactivity in Marine Ecosystem
Radioactivity in Marine Ecosystem
• Examined seawater, sediment, biota, and seaweed samples in the Malaysian
economic exclusive zone following the FDNPP accident. [Mahmood, et al. 2018]
• Aim to quantify radioactivity releases of Cs-137 and Cs-137. Cs-137 long-lived
radionuclide that is anthropogenic in origin. Cs released from FDNPP can be
circulated through the pacific ocean
Radioactivity in Marine Ecosystem
Radioactivity in Marine Ecosystem
Radioactivity in Marine Ecosystem

• Radionuclide concentrations
were studied from sediment
cores taken at the continental
slope [Pittauer, et al., 2018]
• Due to nuclear test
programmes at Marshall
islands.
• Samples were taken using
multi-corer to keep sediment
profile non-disturbed.
Radioactivity in Marine Ecosystem
Radioactivity in Marine Ecosystem
RADIOACTIVITY IN
MARINE ORGANISMS
Radioactivity in Marine Organisms
• Evaluates the effects of temperature and influence of body size on Cs-137 uptake
in marine animals [Thomas, et al., 2019]
• Subjects are common prey species for fish higher in the food chain and are
commonly found in coastal waters around the world
• Body sizes, shapes, and weights were measured and estimated surface-to-volume
ratios based on their geometrical shapes
Radioactivity in Marine Organisms

• Methodology
• Uptake of Cs-137 (dissolved) was assessed at different temperatures (10C ,
18C, and 25C) which represents the average coastal temperatures in different
seasons
• Samples were transferred to a container with an 8 kBq gamma-emitting Cs-
137 for 48hrs (crustaceans) and 72-hours for mollusks and fishes
• Species were periodically sampled, rinsed several times to remove loosely
bound Cs-137 and transferred to a container with saltwater for measurement
• Detector used: Canberra NaI(Tl) well-type gamma detector.
Radioactivity in Marine Organisms
Radioactivity in Marine Organisms
 Radioactivity in Marine Organisms

• Study on distribution and accumulation

of Artificial radionuclides in Marine
products (in South Korea) [Kim, et al.,
2019]
• 33 samples were taken from across the
different fishing grounds around the
Korean peninsula
Radioactivity in Marine Organisms
Cs-137 Measurement
• Freeze-dried, homogenized by crushing and mixing, then placed in a Marinelli beaker
• Activities were measured using HPGe detector, with an average counting times > 2days
Pu-239/240 Measurement
• Pu-isotopes were extracted from sample using an electron deposition cell mounted with a
stainless-steel disc (after a series of physical and chemical extraction steps)
• Activities were measured using alpha spectrometry with an average counting time > 5days.
Sr-90 Measurement
• Sr-90 isotopes were extracted from the sample
• Activities were measured using a low background beta-counter
Radioactivity in Marine Organisms
Radioactivity in Marine Organisms
CONCLUSION
Should we be concerned?
Conclusions
■ Based on current studies, majority of the data presented shows that
the marine radioactivity remains at the background level despite the
recent nuclear-related events.
■ Marine life also takes in anthropogenic radionuclides (Cs, Pu, and Sr)
but is not irreversibly bound to the animal.
■ No noticeable artificial radioactivity when compared to pre-
Fukushima data.
■ Exposure to artificial radioactive nuclides through food intake is much
less than the AED of Po-210 (natural) which was 2-3 orders of
magnitude higher (in South Korea)
References

1. Thomas, D., Fisher, N. Evaluation of body size and temperature on Cs-137 uptake in
marine animals. (2019)
2. Kim, S.H., Lee, H., Lee, S. H., and Kim, I. Distribution and accumulation of artificial radionuclides
in marine products around Korean Peninsula. 2019
3. Lin, W., Yu, K., Wang, Y., Liu, X., et al. Radioactive level of coral reefs in the South China Sea.
2019
4. Mahmood, Z., Yii, M., Khalid, M., Yusof, M., Mohamed, N. Marine radioactivity of Cs-134 and
Cs-137 in the Malaysian Economic Exclusive Zone after the Fukushima accident. 2018
5. Pittauer, D., Roos, P., Qiao, J., Geibert, W., Elver, M., and Fischer, H. Pacific Proving
Grounds radioisotope imprint in the Philippine Sea sediments. 2017
6. https://www.livescience.com/40276-coral-reefs.html
7. https://www.toptenrepublic.com/top-10-most-dangerous-nuclear-accidents-ever/
8. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/7-nuclear-test-sites-you-can-visit-today