Baseline concentration of Polonium-210 (²¹⁰Po) in tuna fish

Several species of tuna fish were analyzed for ²¹⁰Po content in their edible muscle tissues. This study was carried out as a part of baseline data generation around a large nuclear power plant situated at Kudankulam, southeast coast of India. The concentration of ²¹⁰Po in the muscle tissue ranged from 40.9 ± 5.2 to 92.5 ± 7.9 Bq/kg of fresh fish, and the highest activity was recorded for the tuna Euthynnus affinis and the lowest for Auxis thazard. The committed effective dose to the local residents was calculated to be 62.7–141.8 μSv year⁻¹. - Highlights: •Concentration of ²¹⁰Po in tuna fish was estimated. •This study was conducted on the southeast coast of India. •Baseline concentration was established around a nuclear power plant. •Dose assessment was performed by local residents.