SREL Reprint #2252

Levels of cesium, mercury and lead in fish, and cesium in pond sediments in an inhabited region of the Ukraine near Chernobyl

Charles H. Jagoe1, Ronald K. Chesser1, Michael H. Smith1, Michael D. Lomakin2, Susan K. Lingenfelser3,
and Cham E. Dallas3

1Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, South Carolina, USA
2International Research and Development Agency of Ukraine, Kiev-1, Ukraine
3Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA

Abstract: Samples of crucian carp (Carassius carassius) and sediments collected from 14 ponds within and outside the 30 km exclusion zone southeast of Chernobyl were analyzed for radiocesium; major anions and cations in water were determined for each pond, and other atmospherically-transported pollutants (Pb and Hg) were measured in fish muscle. Up to 20 sediment samples were collected from each pond. Median sediment radiocesium was ≤ 1 Bq g-1 dry mass in all ponds, but some samples contained up to 11 Bq g-1 dry mass. The distribution of radiocesium was very patchy, and could vary over 100% in samples collected a few meters apart. Fish muscle radiocesium ranged from below detection up to 8.2 Bq g-1 dry mass and varied significantly among ponds. All Carassius muscle analyzed contained detectable Hg (0.03 to 1.28 µg g-1 dry mass), and most contained detectable Pb (up to 1.76 µg g-1 dry mass). Water chemistry was a poor predictor of fish contaminant burden, possibly due to the extreme patchiness of the contaminant distribution. Fish size was correlated with muscle Cs content in some ponds, and negatively correlated with muscle Pb concentration. The distributions of radioactive and nonradioactive contaminants were not significantly correlated.

Keywords: Radiocesium, mercury, lead, crucian carp, Chernobyl

SREL Reprint #2252

Jagoe, C.H., R.K. Chesser, M.H. Smith, M.D. Lomakin, S.K. Lingenfelser, and C.E. Dallas. 1997. Levels of cesium, mercury and lead in fish, and cesium in pond sediments in an inhabited region of the Ukraine near Chernobyl. Environmental Pollution 98:223-232.

This information was provided by the University of Georgia's Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (srel.uga.edu).