Title:Radiological Risks Assessment Due to Natural Radioactivity in
Mediterranean Sea Fishes
Volume: 18
Issue: 1
Author(s): F. Caridi*G. Belmusto
Affiliation:
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Sciences, Physics and Earth Sciences (MIFT), University of Messina, Viale
F. Stagno d’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
Keywords:
Mediterranean sea fishes, natural radioactivity, radiological risk, committed effective dose, cancer risk, gammaspectrometry.
Abstract: Background and Objectives: A comprehensive study was carried out for the determination
of natural radioactivity in Mediterranean sea fishes and the evaluation of radiological
health risks due to their ingestion. All analyzed samples came from the Calabria region, southern
Italy, and, in particular, from the district of Reggio Calabria.
Method: A total of seventy representative samples, five for each investigated species (Sardina
Pilchardus, Mugil Cephalus, Scomber Scombrus, Sparus Aurata, Dicentrarchus Labrax, Tonnus
Thynnus, Thunnus Alalunga, Xiphaias Gladius, Pagellus Erythrinnus, Engraulis Encrasicholus,
Belone Belone, Solea Solea, Merluccius Merluccius, Mullus Surmuletus) were analyzed
through HPGe gamma spectrometry. The evaluation of dose levels and lifetime cancer
risks for adult members of the population due to the fishes ingestion was also performed.
Results: The specific activity of 40K was investigated and its mean value was found to be: (157
± 17) for Sardina Pilchardus, (138 ± 14) for Mugil Cephalus, (118 ± 13) for Scomber
Scombrus, (128 ± 14) for Sparus Aurata, (146 ± 17) for Dicentrarchus Labrax, (93 ± 11) for
Tonnus Thynnus, (137 ± 15) for Thunnus Alalunga, (98 ± 10) for Xiphaias Gladius, (105 ± 12)
for Pagellus Erythrinnus, (132 ± 14) for Engraulis Encrasicholus, (113 ± 12) for Belone Belone,
(34 ± 5) for Solea Solea, (76 ± 9) for Merluccius Merluccius and (96 ± 11) for Mullus
Surmuletus, respectively.
Conclusion: The committed effective dose and the lifetime cancer risks for adult members of
the population due to the consumption of the investigated samples are lower than the average
world value, the maximum acceptable level and the allowed range, respectively. It can then be
concluded that the Mediterranean sea fishes consumed in the study area pose no significant
health risks to the population from a radiological point of view.