Work

Dosimetric implications of human ingestion of the natural radionuclide polonium-210 from commercially important and edible seaweeds

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Natural polonium has been identified as the largest effective radiation dose contributor from seafood consumption. The global seaweed industry has expanded significantly in recent years and seaweeds are now used in a wide variety of food and nutritional products. However, relatively few data exist on the accumulation of 210 Po by seaweeds. This study investigated 210 Po concentrations in twelve commercially important and widely consumed seaweeds from the Irish Sea and North-East Atlantic Ocean, six of which have not previously been reported. Polonium-210 was determined by radiochemical separation and high-resolution alpha spectrometry, with activity concentrations of other natural radionuclides ( 40 K, 210 Pb, 226 Ra, 228 Ra, 238 U) determined via high-resolution gamma spectrometry. Polonium-210 concentrations were typically larger in red seaweeds compared to brown species. Ascophyllum nodosum had the lowest concentration of 210 Po, while Osmundia pinnatifida had the greatest. The concentrations factors of 210 Po ranged from 7.3 × 10 3 to 71.3 × 10 3 in the seaweeds examined. The annual consumption dose from edible seaweeds was estimated as 1.7 μSv for a typical consumer and 6.4 μSv for a heavy consumer. These values are significantly lower than the global estimated annual average 210 Po ingestion dose of 70 μSv and, hence, pose no significant radiological risk. This study provides new findings for 210 Po activity concentrations and concentration factors in a range of seaweeds from the North-East Atlantic and the Irish Sea, and establishes an updated assessment of the ingestion dose contribution for 210 Po and other naturally-occurring radionuclides from the consumption of edible seaweeds.

Source: Marine Pollution Bulletin

DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.118152

Authors: Angus Collison, Claire Keary, Luis León Vintró, Olwyn Hanley, Joe Murphy, Liam Morrison

Institutions: Environmental Protection Agency, South East Technological University, University College Dublin, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe – University of Galway

Language: English

Topic: Radioactivity and Radon Measurements

Subfield: Radiological and Ultrasound Technology

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Life below water

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,740