Radionuclides in sea turtles at the Montebello Islands former nuclear test sites: Current and historical dose rates for adults and embryos

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin Vol. 158; p. 111390
• Main Authors: Johansen, Mathew P., Child, David P., Hotchkis, Michael A.C., Johansen, Andrea, Thiruvoth, Sangeeth, Whiting, Scott D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2020; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Adults; Animal embryos; Aquatic reptiles; Biomarkers; Bones; Caesium 137; Cesium (Cs); Cesium 137; Cesium isotopes; Cesium radioisotopes; Eggs; Embryos; Historic buildings & sites; Historic sites; Islands; Lethality; Life span; Marine dose reconstruction; Nuclear tests; Plutonium; Plutonium (Pu); Pu atom ratio; Radiation; Radiation dosage; Radioisotopes; Radionuclide kinetics; Sand; Sea turtles; Sediment; Sediments; Skin; Tissues; Turtles; Marine dose reconstruction; Sediment; Cesium (Cs); Plutonium (Pu); Pu atom ratio
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111390

Radionuclides from 1950s weapons testing at the Montebello Islands, Western Australia, may impact sea turtle embryos incubating within eggs laid in contaminated sands or be taken up into adult body tissues where they can contribute to radiation dose over a turtles' 60+ year lifespan. We measured plutonium in all local samples including turtle skin, bones, hatchlings, eggshells, sea sediments, diet items and beach sands. The amount of Pu in developing embryos/hatchling samples was orders of magnitude lower than that in the surrounding sands. These contaminated sands caused most dose to eggs (external dose from 137Cs, 152Eu), while most of the dose to adults was from internalised radionuclides (98%). While current dose rates are relatively low, local dose rates were high for about ten years following the 1950s detonations and may have resulted in lethality or health impacts to a generation of turtles that likely carry biomarkers today. [Display omitted] •Plutonium (Pu) from 1950's weapons tests persists in turtle habitats.•Pu was measured in turtle tissues, eggs, diet items, sea sediments and beach sands.•Embryos are radiologically exposed during incubation at contaminated beaches.•Current dose rates to adults and embryos are low.•Reconstructed 1950s dose rates were high enough for lethality or genomic impacts.