90Sr and 137Cs in pilchards from the Adriatic Sea

The biological concentration factors for the system pilchard/sea-water for 90Sr and 137Cs are presented and discussed. The 90Sr concentration factor was constant, whereas the concentration factor for 137Cs steadily increased after the Chernobyl accident. An UNSCEAR model was used to describe 90Sr transfer from fallout deposition to pilchards. The transfer coefficient was calculated to be 1.85 x 10(-3) Bq yr kg-1/(Bq m-2). The dose incurred by pilchard consumption was estimated for the Croatian population, the annual collective equivalent dose being less than 0.1 Sv.