Skip to main content
Download PDF
  • Published:

Uranium and thorium in muscle tissue of fish taken from the southern Baltic

Helgoländer Meeresuntersuchungen volume 44, pages 31–38 (1990)Cite this article

Abstract

The determination of U and Th was carried out on pooled samples of muscle tissue of cod (Gadus morhua), herring (Clupea harengus), sprat (Sprattus sprattus) and some other species of fish caught in 1981 in the southern Baltic. The levels of U obtained in the present study are generally within the ranges presented by other authors for fish from different aquatic regions of the world. The concentrations of U are similar to those found for Th in Baltic fish analysed. The concentration factors CFU(Th), discrimination factors DFU/Th and Th/U ratios (by weight) were calculated and discussed. These coefficients were also compared with values determined in other Baltic organisms. Transfer of U and Th along a food chain from potential prey (diet) to fish as predator (consumer) was quantified with a transfer factor.

Literature Cited

  • Amiard, J.-C., Amiard-Triquet, C., Metayer, C., Marchand, J. & Ferre, R., 1980. Etude du transfert de Cd, Pb, Cu et Zn dans les chaînes trophiques neritiques et estuariennes. I. Etat dans l'estuaire interne de la Loire (France) au cours de l'été 1978. — Wat. Res.14, 665–673.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Amiel, A. J., Miller, D. S. & Friedman, G. M., 1973. Incorporation of uranium in modern corals. —Sedimentology20, 523–528.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Aten, A. H. W., Dalenberg, J. W. & Bakkum, W. C. M., 1961. Concentration of uranium in sea fish. —Hlth Phys.5, 225–226.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bangera, V. S. & Patel, B., 1984. Natural radionuclides in sediment and in arcid clam (Anadara granosa L.) and gobiid mudskipper (Boleophthalmus boddaerti Cuv. & Va.). — Indian J. mar. Sci.13, 5–9.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blanchard, R. L. & Oakes, D., 1965. Relationship between uranium and radium in coastal marine shells and their environment. — J. geophys. Res.70, 2911–2921.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blanchard, R. L., Cheng, M. H. & Potratz, H. A., 1967. Uranium and thorium series disequilibria in recent and fossil marine molluscan shells. — J. geophys. Res.72, 4745–4757.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bojanowski, R. & Szefer, P., 1979. Uranium in the Baltic water. — Stud. Materialy Oceanol.26, 253–274 (in Polish, with an English abstract).

    Google Scholar 

  • Chassard-Bouchaud, C., 1982a. Concentration de l'uranium par les Crustacés. Etude structurale, ultrastructurale et microanalytique par émission ionique secondaire et par spectrographie des rayons X. — C. r. Acad. Sci., Paris (Sér. 3.)294, 919–924.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chassard-Bouchaud, C., 1982b. On the occurrence of uranium, ruthenium, cesium and thulium in diseased fish: a microanalytical ion microscopy study. — Electronmicroscopy3, 405–406.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chassard-Bouchaud, C., 1983. Cellular and subcellular localization of uranium in the crabCarcinus maenas: a microanalytical study. — Mar. Pollut. Bull.14, 133–136.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chassard-Bouchaud, C. & Escaig, F., 1984. Uptake, storage and excretion of uranium byMytilus edulis. A structural ultrastructural and microanalytical study by secondary ion emission and X-ray spectrometry. — J. Phys. (Suppl. au Nr 2)45, 545–548.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cięglewicz, W., Zaŀachowski, W., Szypuŀa, J., Krzykawski, S. & Krzykawska, I., 1972. Food habits of commercial fish of the southern Baltic. In: Marine ecosystems. Ed. by K. Siudziński, MIR, Gdynia,2, 363–450.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edgington, D. N., Gordon, S. A., Thommes, M. M. & Almodovar, L. R., 1970. The concentration of radium, thorium and uranium by tropical marine algae. — Limnol. Oceanogr.15, 945–955.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Flor, T. H. & Moore, W. S., 1977. Radium/calcium and uranium/calcium determinations for Western Atlantic reef corals. — Proc. 3rd int. Coral Reef Symp. Miami2, 555–561.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gvirtzman, G., Friedman, G. M. & Miller, D. S., 1973. Control and distribution of uranium in coral reefs during diagenesis. — J. sedim. Petrol.43, 985–997.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hamilton, E. I., 1972. Concentration of uranium in man and his diet. — Hlth Phys.22, 149–153.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hamilton, E. I., 1980. Concentration and distribution of uranium inMytilus edulis and associated materials. — Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.2, 62–73.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hodge, V. F., Koide, M. & Goldberg, E. D., 1979. Particulate uranium, plutonium and polonium in the biogeochemistries of the coastal zone. — Nature, Lond.277, 206–209.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Holm, E. & Persson, B. R. R., 1980. Behaviour of natural (Th, U) and artificial (Pu, Am) actinides in coastal waters. In: Marine radioecology (Proc. 3rd NEA Seminar., Tokyo, 1979), OECD, Paris, 237–243.

    Google Scholar 

  • IAEA, 1985. Sediment Kds and concentration factors for radionuclides in the Marine Environment. —Tech. Rep. Ser., IAEA247, 1–73.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ichikawa, R. & Ohno, S., 1981. Uranium content in marine fish. — Bull. Jap. Soc. scient. Fish.47, 289.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kharkar, D. P., Thomson, J., turekian, K. K. & Forster, W. O., 1976. Uranium and thorium decay series nuclides in plankton from the Caribbean. — Limnol. Oceanogr,21, 294–299.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Knauss, K. & Ku, T.-L., 1983. The elemental composition of decay-series radionuclide content of planktom from the East Pacific. — Chem. Geol.39, 125–245.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Koide, M., Lee, D. S. & Goldberg, E. D., 1982. Metal and transuranic records in mussel shells, byssal threads and tissues. — Estuar. coast. Shelf Sci.15, 679–695.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Livingston, H. D. & Thompson, G. 1971. Trace element concentrations in some modern corals. —Limnol. Oceanogr.16, 786–796.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miyake, Y., Sugimura, Y. & Mayeda, M., 1970. The uranium content and the activity ratio234U/238U in marine organisms and sea water in the western North Pacific. — J. oceanogr. Soc. Jap.26, 123–129.

    Google Scholar 

  • Möller, H., Schneider, R. & Schnier, Ch., 1983. Trace metal and PCB content of mussels (Mytilus edulis) from the southwestern Baltic Sea. — Int. Revue ges. Hydrobiol.68, 633–647.

    Google Scholar 

  • Omura, A., 1976. Thorium and protactinium isotopes in some present-day hermatypic corals and their implications to dating. — Trans. Proc. palaeont. Soc. Japan101, 271–290.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pentreath, R. J., Lovett, M. B., Harvey, B. R. & Ibbett, R. D., 1979. Alpha-emitting nuclides in commercial fish species caught in the vicinity of Windscale, United Kingdom, and their radiological significance to man. Biological implications of radionuclides released from nu clear industries. IAE, Vienna,2, 227–245.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rutkowicz, S., 1982. Encyklopedia Ryb Morskich. Wydawnictwo Morskie, Gdynia, 663 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schroeder, J. H., Miller, D. S. & Friedman, G. M., 1970. Uranum distribution in recent skeletal carbonates. — J. sedim. Petrol.40, 672–681.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwochau, K., Astheimer, L., Schenk, H. J. & Schmitz, J., 1976. Verfahren zur Gewinnung von Uran aus dem Meerwasser. — Ber. Kernforschungsanl. Jülich1415, 38–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • sugimura, Y. & Mayeda, M., 1980. The uranium content and the activity ratio234U/238U in sea water in the Pacific Ocean. In: Isotope marine chemistry. Ed. by E. D. Goldberg, Y. Horibe & K. Saruhashi, Uchida Rokakuho Publ. Co, Tokyo, 211–246.

    Google Scholar 

  • Szefer, P., 1977. Investigations on the uranium and thorium contents of Vistula estuary water, also inshore water of the Gulf of Gdańsk. — Stud. Materiaŀy Oceanol.17, 379–392 (in Polish, with an English abstract).

    Google Scholar 

  • Szefer, P., 1987. Concentration of uranium and thorium by some Baltic seaweed and lake plants. —Mar. Pollut. Bull.18, 439–442.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Szefer, P., 1989. Uranium and its isotopes in marine biocenosis. — Stud. Materiaŀy Oceanol. (in Polish, with and English abstract). (In press)

  • Szefer, P. & Falandysz, J., 1983. Uranium and thorium content in long-tailed ducks (Clangula hyemalis L.) from the Gdańsk Bay. — Sci. Total Environ.29, 269–276.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Szefer, P. & Falandysz, J., 1985. Trace metals in muscle tissue of fish taken from the southern Baltic. — Z. Lebensmittelunters. — Forsch.181, 217–220.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Szefer, P. & Wenne, R., 1987. Concentration of uranium and thorium in molluscs inhabiting Gdańsk Bay, Baltic Sea. — Sci. Total Environ.65, 191–202.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Szefer, P., Skwarzec, B. & Koszteyn, J., 1985. The occurrence of some metals in mesozooplankton taken from the southern Baltic. — Mar. Chem.17, 237–253.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, G. & Livingston, H. D., 1970. Strontium and uranium concentrations in aragonite precipitated by some modern corals. — Earth Planet. Sci. Lett.8, 439–442.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tsytsugina, V. G., Risik, N. S. & Lazorenko, G. E., 1973. Concentration and microdistribution of uranium in marine organisms under natural conditions. In: Artificially and naturally produced radionuclides in aquatic biocenosis. Ed. by G. G. Polikarpov. Naukova Dumka, Kiev, 58–94.

    Google Scholar 

  • Veeh, H. H. & Turekian, K. K., 1968. Cobalt, silver, and uranium concentrations of reef-building corals in the Pacific Ocean. — Limnol. Oceanogr.13, 304–308.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Analytical Chemistry, Medical Academy, al. K. Marksa 107, PL 80-416, Gdańsk, Poland

    Piotr Szefer & Krystyna Szefer

  2. Veterinary Hygiene Research Station, ul. Kartuska 249, PL 80-125, Gdańsk, Poland

    Jerzy Falandysz

Authors
  1. Piotr Szefer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Krystyna Szefer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jerzy Falandysz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Szefer, P., Szefer, K. & Falandysz, J. Uranium and thorium in muscle tissue of fish taken from the southern Baltic. Helgolander Meeresunters 44, 31–38 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02365429

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02365429

Keywords

Helgoland Marine Research

ISSN: 1438-3888

Contact us