Radionuclide concentrations in mussels collected from the southern coast of Bangladesh

Concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, 238U, 40K and 137Cs were determined in whole soft tissues (WST) and shells of groups of different size of marine mussel Perna viridis L. and estuarine mussel Modiolus striatulus H. and water samples which were collected from the southern coast of Bangladesh. Correlation analysis showed that the concentrations of radionuclides vary with mussel size. A positive correlation existed for 238U and 40K and a negative one for 232Th between the radionuclide concentration and mussel size; 232Th concentrations in WST and shells of the mussels showed an inverse relationship with those of 238U and 40K, while 238U showed positive correlation with 40K. The concentration factors (CF) for 226Ra, 232Th and 238U in both P. viridis and M. striatulus were higher than those for 40K. The contents of 137Cs in both mussels were below the detection limit.