A biomonitoring study: 210Po and heavy metals in marine organisms of the Central Adriatic Sea (Italy)

In various samples of Mytilus galloprovincialis, 210Po 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. 210Po activity concentration ranged between 57 and 343 Bq·kg-1 dry weight. The concentration ranges of heavy metals (μg·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