Spatial and temporal variability of 210Po and 210Pb in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) at the Turkish coast of the Aegean Sea

In this study, the activity concentrations of 210Po and 210Pb were determined in mussel samples (Mytilus galloprovincialis) collected from the Turkish coast of the Aegean Sea. The samples were collected seasonally for a period of two years (2004-2006) at six coastal stations (Çanakkale, Dikili, Foça, Çeşme, Didim, Bodrum). Mussels were separated into several groups according to their size (1-4,4-6,>6cm). The results showed that 210Po concentrations in mussels varied between 53±4 and 1960±60Bqkg-1dw. The highest activity 210Po concentrations were determined in winter samples of mussels with a shell length of 4-6cm from Didim. In general, it was observed that the 210Pb concentration levels in mussels were lower than 210Po concentrations. The 210Po/210Pb activity concentration ratios exceeded unity for all mussel samples and averaged 26.0. The inter-site differences seen in 210Po concentrations can be due to both the natural background levels of sites and industrial activities. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.