Andrzej KOMOSA, İgnacy KITOWSKI, Jolanta ORZEL, Grzegorz PITUCHA, Jan SOLECKI, Marcin CHRAPOWICKI, Pawel ROZANSKI, Marian FLIS

Concentration of selected radionuclides in skulls of European badger Meles meles from eastern Poland

Concentration activity levels of selected radionuclides in skulls of European badger from eastern Poland were determined. It was found that studied skull bones contained on average 1.6 ± 1.7 Bq kg-1 of 137Cs (range: 0-6.4 Bq kg-1), 2.2 ± 0.87 Bq kg-1 of 90Sr (range: 0.93-3.9 Bq kg-1), and 8.4 ± 4.1 Bq kg-1 of 239+240Pu (range: 0-53 Bq kg-1). These values prove to be rather low in comparison with earlier literature data on anthropogenic radionuclides (being a result of the Chernobyl fallout) present in skulls of other mammals. This suggests that migration processes of anthropogenic radionuclides have caused a diminishing of contamination in the upper layer of soil.

Anahtar Kelimeler:

Anthropogenic radionuclide, skull bone, European badger, eastern Poland

Concentration of selected radionuclides in skulls of European badger Meles meles from eastern Poland

Keywords:

Anthropogenic radionuclide, skull bone, European badger, eastern Poland,

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soil. Therefore, after about 25 years from the Chernobyl disaster and 48 years from the maximum of global fallout, the concentration in the soil layer accessible for badgers became very low (16).
The performed radiochemical and spectrometric studies on European badger skull bones have shown that the concentration of selected anthropogenic radionuclides is rather low in comparison with bones of other mammals, especially those collected soon after the Chernobyl disaster. Median values of studied natural radionuclides were as follows: ”K, 18 Bq kg“; 210Pb, 10 Bq kg“; and 226Ra, 1.9 Bq kg“. Median anthropogenic radionuclide activity concentrations were found to be: 137Cs, 0.56 Bq kg“; 238Pu, 7 mBq kg“; 239+240Pu 4, mBq kg“; and ”Sr, 2 Bq kg“.