A biomonitoring study: 210Po and heavy metals in mussels

In various samples of Mytilus galloprovincialis, (210)Po was determined by alpha-spectrometry while Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Sn, Hg and Pb by energy dispersive, polarised X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (EDPXRF). The mussels of different sizes were taken from 7 sites in the central Adriatic Sea along the Marche coastal region during the four seasons of the year. (210)Po activity concentration ranged between 57 and 343 Bq center dot kg(-1) dry weight. The concentration ranges of heavy metals (A mu g center dot g(-1) dry weight) were as follows: Mn: 72.9-83.1; Fe: 45.1-754; Ni: 1.3-7.6; Cu: 17.9-156; Zn: 60.9-189; Cd: 0.6-1.0; Sn: 0.6-3.9; Hg always < 0.5; Pb: 2.0-9.0. The data obtained depend upon the site and the period of the sampling and they are also compared with those obtained by other authors for the same organism in the Mediterranean and other Italian seas.