El Samad, O. National Council for Scientific Research - Atomic Energy Commission, Lebanon , Baydoun, R. National Council for Scientific Research - Atomic Energy Commission, Lebanon , El Jeaid, H. National Council for Scientific Research - Atomic Energy Commission, Lebanon

ACTIVITY CONCENTRATIONS OF POLONIUM-210 AND LEAD-210 IN LEBANESE FISH

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As part of the marine environmental monitoring program, the activity concentrations of Po-210 and Pb-210 were determined in benthic and pelagic marine fish,collected from the fresh catch sold in the local markets in 4 different stations along the Lebanese coast. A total number of 11 samples were collected such that they represent the mostly consumed species by the majority of the Lebanese population. Po-210 was measured by alpha spectroscopy technique, after chemical separation consisted of drying, digestion,tracer addition and then spontaneous deposition on a silver disk. Pb-210 was analyzed directly by the gamma spectrometry method with extended range low-level High Purity Germanium detector of 50 % relative efficiency. The activity concentrations varied between1.31 and 45 Bq/kg wet weights for Pb-210 and between 0.22 and 62.64 Bq/kg wet weights for Po-210. These variations are due to the differences in metabolism and food intake pattern.The highest concentrations were found in the pelagic species. Many factors may be the reasons of these concentrations such that, particulate stream run-off, particulate scavenging process and precipitation process.

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Po , 210 , Pb , 210 , Lebanese fish , alpha spectroscopy , gamma spectroscopy , marine monitoring

Lebanese Science Journal

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