Assessment of radioactive contamination in anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) along the coast of Turkey, Georgia, and abkhazia in the black sea: A status assessment for human health risks

Abstract

The Black Sea anchovy, Engraulis encrasicolus, is a significant small pelagic fish, making up over 60 % of the total fish caught in the Black Sea. Assessing its radioactive contamination is crucial due to its commercial importance. This study investigated radioactivity levels in anchovy muscle tissues from 11 points along the Turkish, Georgian, and Abkhazian coasts using the gamma spectrometry system. The mean activity concentrations were 1.71 Bq kg−1 for 226Ra, 1.90 Bq kg−1 for 232Th, 121.08 Bq kg−1 for 40K, and 0.64 Bq kg−1 for 137Cs. In this study, 226Ra, a decay product of 238U, was used as a representative of the uranium series, since it is commonly employed as a proxy in environmental assessments under the assumption of secular equilibrium. Significant differences in radionuclide concentrations between stations were observed (p < 0.05). Radiological parameters, including annual effective dose and carcinogenic risk, showed no health risk from consuming anchovy in the studied region.