Plutonium and other alpha-emitters in bones of wild, herbivorous animals from north-eastern Poland

The results of the investigation of 239+240Pu, 241Am and thorium isotope activity concentrations in bones of wild herbivorous animals (deer, roe-deer, boars, elks) from north-eastern Poland are presented. The area on which the animals were living had relatively high Chernobyl plutonium fallout. Possible traces of plutonium were seen only in four samples, but only for one it was it 3σ above background, at 6.2 ± 2.4 mBq/kg (ash). The 241Am activity concentration was below the detection limits in all samples. The maximum 228Th concentration in the samples was 7.81 ± 0.44 Bq/kg (ash), calculated under the assumption of 100% thorium recovery. This isotope seems to originate in bones not from direct incorporation but from the decay of 228Ra. Large variations in activity concentration wose observed, as well as some differences between boars and the chewing animals.