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Fish otoliths as biological dosimeter: internal dose calculation.
E A Shishkina1,2, D V Ivanov3,4, U D Biryukhova1
1Chelyabinsk State University, 129, Br. Kashirinykh Str., Chelyabinsk, Russia, 454001.
Radiation and Environmental Biophysics
|November 27, 2022
Summary
Fish otoliths can quantify radiation dose using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) by measuring CO2- radicals. A new method distinguishes internal 90Sr dose from external exposure, aiding radioecological studies.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Radiobiology
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Fish otoliths, composed of hydroxyapatite, accumulate radiation-induced CO2- radicals proportional to absorbed dose.
- Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) dosimetry quantifies these radicals, enabling fish otoliths to serve as individual dosimeters.
- Otolith dosimetry in contaminated waters must account for internal 90Sr exposure alongside external radiation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and test a method for assessing the contribution of 90Sr to the total radiation dose in fish otoliths.
- To differentiate internal 90Sr dose from external radiation exposure in fish otoliths using EPR.
Main Methods:
- Utilized electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy to detect and quantify radiation-induced CO2- radicals in fish otoliths.
- Applied a novel method to estimate the internal dose component from 90Sr activity concentration.
- Calculated the external dose contribution by subtracting the estimated internal dose from the total EPR-measured dose.
Main Results:
- The study confirmed that 90Sr in hydroxyapatite largely determines the radiation dose in otoliths.
- Internal dose calculations using activity concentration-to-dose conversion factors yielded results from 2 mGy to ~200 Gy.
- External dose contributions were estimated for two fish at approximately 100 Gy and 40 Gy.
Conclusions:
- Otolith EPR dosimetry is a valuable tool for radiobiological and radioecological studies, especially in environments with 90Sr contamination.
- The developed method effectively separates internal 90Sr dose from external exposure, enhancing dose assessment accuracy.
- EPR dosimetry on fish otoliths is particularly promising when external exposure is significant or comparable to internal 90Sr exposure.
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