DISTRIBUTION OF Po-210 IN SEAWATER, BIOTA AND SEDIMENT IN THE EAST COAST OF PENINSULAR MALAYSIA
Abstract
The purposes of this study were to quantify the radioactivity and assess the value of CF and Kd of Po-210 in seawater, biota and sediment samples taken from Pantai Melawi, Tok Bali and Pulau Perhentian areas. These three matrices of marine samples were collected at those areas in 2017 and 2018. In this study, the activity concentrations of Po-210 were measured by using alpha spectroscopy after radiochemical separation and spontaneous deposition processes. The activity concentrations of Po-210 in seawater, biota and sediments were ranged from 0.39 ± 0.02 Bq/L to 2.16 ± 0.09 Bq/L; 4.06 ± 0.11 Bq/kg fw to 67.03 ± 3.00 Bq/kg fw and 35.86 ± 1.60 Bq/kg dw to 69.14 ± 3.09 Bq/kg dw, respectively. Meanwhile, the value of CF and Kd were ranged of 0.22 x 104 L/kg to 10.64 x 104 L/kg and 1.66 x 104 L/kg to 13.23 x 104 L/kg, respectively. The variations of the activity concentration, CF and Kd value of Po-210 probably due to factors of geography region, physical and chemical properties of the ambient water, sediment particle size, affected from terrestrial input, condition of marine environment, species of fishes, food intake pattern, particulate scavenging process, precipitation process and others.
