Radiocesium concentration in migratory birds wintering in Spain after the Chernobyl accident.

Levels of 137Cs and 134Cs resulting from the Chernobyl nuclear accident were studied in 195 birds that winter in two regions of Spain. Only five of the 12 species examined were contaminated. The average values for 137Cs vary between 1.6 and 41 Bq kg-1 fresh. In particular, the contamination for song-thrushes (Turdus philomelos) are compared between the regions of Extremadura and Valencia, 350 km east of Extremadura at the same latitude. The results show that the contamination of birds wintering in Spain decreases from east to west. The whole-body dose commitment for humans consuming these contaminated birds was calculated. The values are well below the established ICRP guideline.