Radionuclide concentrations in game (surface feeders) and nongame (bottom feeders) fish upstream and downstream of Los Alamos National Laboratory

摘要

This paper summarizes radionuclide concentrations in game (surface feeders) and nongame (bottom feeders) fish collected from reservoirs upstream (Abiquiu, Heron and/or El Vado) and downstream (Cochiti) of Los Alamos National Laboratory from 1981 to 1992. Sr-90, Cs-137, Pu- 238, and Pu-239 were not significantly different in either game or nongame fish collected from Cochiti reservoir as compared to fish collected from reservoirs upstream of the Laboratory. Total uranium was the only radionuclide that was found to be significantly different in both game and nongame fish collected from Cochiti as compared to fish collected from Abiquiu, Heron and El Vado. Uranium concentrations in fish collected from Cochiti, however, significantly decrease from 1981 to 1992, and no evidence of depleted uranium was found. Based on the average concentration of radionuclides over the years, the effective (radiation) dose equivalent from consuming 21 kg of game fish and nongame fish from Cochiti reservoir was 0.005 and 0.009 mrem/yr, respectively. This is