MONITORING OF RADIONUCLIDE CONCENTRATIONS IN MARINE ALGAE FROM THE TURKISH BLACK SEA COAST AND BOSPHORUS DURING THE PERIOD OF 1984-2001

Monitoring of radionuclide concentrations in marine algae from the Turkish Black Sea coast and Bosphorus during the period of 1984-2001

Sayhan Topcuoglu

Department of Radiobiology, Çekmece Nuclear and Training Center, P. O. Box,1, Atatürk Airport 34149 Istanbul, TURKEY

Abstract

The anthropogenic radionuclide concentrations were reviewed in macroalgae species were collected from Black Sea and Bosphorus stations in 1984 to 2001. The results showed that the Sinop region was more contaminated than the Şile region on the Black Sea coast of Turkey from the Chernobyl accident. The highest concentration of 137Cs radionuclide was found after Chernobil accident in C. linum as 34 Bq kg-1 (dry weight) during July 1986. The concentrations of the 137Cs activity in 1987 and 1988 samples were gradually decreased. However, the 137Cs activity detected as 11 Bq kg-1 (dry weight) in 1992. On the other hand, 137Cs levels in tested algae samples were found as below limit of detection after 1994. The natural radionuclide concentration of 210Po, 210Pb and 40K in macroalgae samples are within the range of cited values in the literature.

Keywords: Radionuclide, macroalgae, Black Sea, Bosphorus

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