Determination of Polonium-210 in Mussels from the Adria Sea.

The important role played by alpha radioactive nuclides in the marine radiation environment is already evident. The dominant contribution made by natural fall-out nuclide Polonium-210 to the alpha radioactivity of most marine organisms is very important. The common mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis is selected as unique bio monitor species to be analyzed. Samples are collected at the Adria Sea along the Albanian coast. A radiochemical procedure followed by alpha spectrometry measurement of ²¹⁰Po is performed. The standard solution of ²⁰⁹Po is used as a yield tracer. Thin sources for alpha spectrometry measurements are prepared by spontaneous deposition of polonium on to silver disks from weakly acid solutions. The value of specific activity of ²¹⁰Po vary between 200 to 400 Bq/kg dry and are in good agreement with the results found for ²¹⁰Po in mussels from other countries in the Adria Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]