Abstract
The aim of the present work was to investigate the radioactivity concentrations of gamma emitting radionuclides in canned tuna and sardines that were produced after the Fukushima nuclear accident and to assess the resulting radiation doses to the public. Fifty-eight brands of canned tuna and sardines consumed in the Middle East and produced from different parts of the world were analyzed using a germanium detector. Cesium-137 (Cs-137) was not detected above the minimum detectable activity in any of the samples. Natural radionuclides K-40, Ra-226 and Ra-228 were detected with wide activity concentration ranges and with average values of (in Bq kg(-1) wet weight): 68 +/- 36, 0.31 +/- 0.45, 0.34 +/- 0.25, respectively, in tuna samples and with averages of 129 +/- 67, 0.20 +/- 0.33, 0.60 +/- 0.31 in sardine samples. The results of the activity concentrations of K-40 and Ra-226 showed some regional dependence. Tuna samples produced in Europe have almost twice the concentration of K-40 and half the concentration of Ra-226 as compared to samples produced in either East or South Asia and North America. Moreover, sardine samples produced in North Africa and Europe have almost twice the concentrations of K-40 and Ra-226 as those produced in East or South Asia and North America. Dose assessment due to ingestion of canned seafood was also performed, and the committed effective dose was found to be well within the worldwide average.