Tissue distribution of 210Po and 210Pb in select marine species of the coast of Kudankulam, southern coast of Gulf of Mannar, India.

Activities of 210Po and 210Pb in various tissues of four species of decapod crabs and two species of cephalopod mollusks (cuttlefishes) of Kudankulam coast were studied. A non-uniform distribution of these radionuclides was observed between the organs. Of all the tissues, 210Po and 210Pb were found accumulated more in the hepatopancreas and intestine of crabs and in the digestive gland, shell gland, and intestine of cephalopods. Among crabs, Charybdis lucifera registered a little higher 210Po and 210Pb activities. The cephalopod species Loligo duvauceli displayed higher 210Po and 210Pb in some organs when compared to Sepia pharaonis. The muscle of all the species registered lower activity. In cephalopods, the activity ratio of 210Po/210Pb fell within the range of 1-2 for most of the organs, and in crab tissues, it varied from 1.7 to 31.4. The biological concentration factor for organs of cephalopods ranged from 1.2×10(3) to 4.3×10(5) for 210Po and 4.8×10(2) to 8.4×10(4) for 210Pb and for organs of crabs it varied between 2.0×10(4) and 1.9×10(6) for 210Po and 9.2×10(2) and 2.4×10(4) for 210Pb. The study revealed that the organs associated with digestion and metabolism displayed a higher activity concentration than the other tissues. A significant variation in the accumulation of 210Po and 210Pb was noted between species (P<0.05). The activity levels recorded are in agreement with values recorded in related organisms in other parts of the world. The data generated will act as a reference database for these organisms of this coast in which a nuclear power station is under construction.