Radiation dose estimation for marine mussels following exposure to tritium: Best practice for use of the ERICA tool in ecotoxicological studies. (May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dallas, Lorna J.; Devos, Alexandre; Fievet, Bruno; Turner, Andrew; Lyons, Brett P.; Jha, Awadhesh N.
• Is Part Of: Journal of environmental radioactivity. Volume 155/156(2016:May)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 6
• Publication Date: 2016-05
• Subjects: Dosimetry -- ERICA tool -- Mussels -- Mytilus -- Tritium; Radioactivity -- Periodicals; Radiation, Background -- Periodicals; Radioecology -- Periodicals; Radioactive pollution -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollutants -- Periodicals; Radioactive Pollutants -- Periodicals; Radioactivity -- Periodicals; Radioécologie -- Périodiques; Pollution radioactive -- Périodiques; Fond de rayonnement -- Périodiques; 539.752
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2016.01.019
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0265-931X

Abstract

Abstract: Accurate dosimetry is critically important for ecotoxicological and radioecological studies on the potential effects of environmentally relevant radionuclides, such as tritium ( 3 H). Previous studies have used basic dosimetric equations to estimate dose from 3 H exposure in ecologically important organisms, such as marine mussels. This study compares four different methods of estimating dose to adult mussels exposed to 1 or 15 MBq L −1 tritiated water (HTO) under laboratory conditions. These methods were (1) an equation converting seawater activity concentrations to dose rate with fixed parameters; (2) input into the ERICA tool of seawater activity concentrations only; (3) input into the ERICA tool of estimated whole organism concentrations (woTACs), comprising dry activity plus estimated tissue free water tritium (TFWT) activity (TFWT volume × seawater activity concentration); and (4) input into the ERICA tool of measured whole organism activity concentrations, comprising dry activity plus measured TFWT activity (TFWT volume × TFWT activity concentration). Methods 3 and 4 are recommended for future ecotoxicological experiments as they produce values for individual animals and are not reliant on transfer predictions (estimation of concentration ratio). Method 1 may be suitable if measured whole organism concentrations are not available, as it produced results between 3 and 4. As there are technical complications to accurately measuring TFWT, we recommend that future radiotoxicological studies on mussels or other aquatic invertebrates measure whole organism activity in non-dried tissues (i.e. incorporating TFWT and dry activity as one, rather than as separate fractions) and input this data into the ERICA tool. Highlights: Comparison of 4 different methods to estimate radiation dose in mussels. Mussels exposed to 1 or 15 MBq L −1 tritiated seawater for 14 d. Estimated dose rates ranged from 3.13 − 7.88 and 31.88-110.25 μGy h −1 respectively. Tissue free water tritium contributes majority of dose. Future studies should report non-dried, measured whole organism activity concentrations for input into the ERICA tool.