Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences, Vol 27 No 2 (2023): 242 - 250

 

RADIOLOGICAL RISKS RELATED TO NATURAL RADIONUCLIDE IN SELECTED FISH FROM EAST COAST OF PENINSULAR, MALAYSIA

 

(Risiko Radiologi Berkaitan Radionuklid Tabii Dalam Ikan Terpilih Dari Pantai Timur Semenanjung, Malaysia)

 

Muhammad Nur Rashidi Rosli1*, Madihah Jafar Sidik2, Wahmisari Priharti3, and Nurashikin Abd Azis4

 

  1Preparatory Centre for Science and Technology,

 Universiti Malaysia Sabah, 88400 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

2Borneo Marine Research Institute,

Universiti Malaysia Sabah, 88400 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

3Telkom University, J1. Telekomunikasi No.1, Dayeuhkolot, Kab. Bandung, Indonesia

4Faculty of Security and Governance,

North Borneo University College, 88450 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

 

*Corresponding author: mnrashidirosli@ums.edu.my

 

 

Received: 12 July 2022; Accepted: 27 February 2023; Published:  19 April 2023

 

 

Abstract

Systematic investigations are essential in establishing the current water quality because numerous industrial and anthropogenic sources are responsible for polluting the ecosystem along Peninsular Malaysia's east coast. Since aquatic stocks play a significant role in the daily diets of the surrounding populations, the present study used the ICP-MS technique to measure the levels of three natural radionuclides 232Th, 238U and 40K in three fish species collected from three locations along the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The activity concentration ranges from 23.13 ± 1.70 to 43.31 ± 2.10 Bq kg-1for 40K, 0.06 ± 0.01 to 0.33 ± 0.05 Bq kg-1 for 232Th and 0.11 ± 0.08 to 0.48 ± 0.10 Bq kg-1 for 238U. The determined activity concentration of radionuclides was used to estimate the annual effective dose and cancer risk. The findings showed that the predicted yearly effective doses (µSv year-1) for 232Th, 238U and 40K were 1.67, 0.70, and 11.92 correspondingly, which were much lower than the UNSCEAR recommendation and considered to be safe. Based on the estimated annual effective dose and a life expectancy of 70 years, the cancer risk factor for adults is predicted to be 3.00 × 10-5. Compared to the UNSCEAR cancer risk factor of 8.4 × 10-3 and ICRP cancer risk factor of 3.5 × 10-3, this value is much lower. According to the current study, the dose that locals consume from eating fish is safe for human consumption, relatively minimal, and does not impair human health.

 

Keywords: Bioaccumulation, natural radionuclide. activity concentration, ingestion dose, cancer risk

 

Abstrak

Penyiasatan sistematik adalah penting dalam menentukan kualiti air semasa kerana banyak sumber perindustrian dan antropogenik bertanggungjawab dalam mencemarkan ekosistem di sepanjang pantai timur Semenanjung Malaysia. Memandangkan stok akuatik memainkan peranan penting dalam diet harian populasi sekitar, kajian ini menggunakan teknik ICP-MS untuk mengukur tahap tiga radionuklid semula jadi 232Th, 238U dan 40K dalam tiga spesies ikan yang dikumpulkan dari tiga lokasi di sepanjang pantai timur Semenanjung Malaysia. Kepekatan aktiviti berkisar antara 23.13 ± 1.70 hingga 43.31 ± 2.10 Bq kg-1untuk 40K, 0.06 ± 0.01 hingga 0.33 ± 0.05 Bq kg-1 untuk 232Th dan 0.11 ± 0.08 hingga 0.48 ± 0.10 Bq kg-1 bagi 238U. Kepekatan aktiviti radionuklid yang ditentukan telah digunakan untuk menganggarkan dos berkesan tahunan dan risiko kanser. Penemuan menunjukkan bahawa dos berkesan tahunan yang diramalkan (µSv tahun-1) untuk 232Th, 238U dan 40K adalah masing-masing 1.67, 0.70, dan 11.92, yang jauh lebih rendah daripada pengesyoran UNSCEAR. Berdasarkan anggaran dos berkesan tahunan dan jangka hayat 70 tahun, faktor risiko kanser untuk orang dewasa diramalkan ialah 3.00 × 10-5. Berbanding dengan faktor risiko kanser UNSCEAR sebanyak 8.4 × 10-3 dan faktor risiko kanser ICRP sebanyak 3.5 × 10-3, nilai ini jauh lebih rendah dan selamat. Menurut kajian semasa, dos yang diambil oleh penduduk tempatan daripada memakan ikan adalah selamat untuk dimakan manusia, agak minimum, dan tidak menjejaskan kesihatan manusia.

 

Kata kunci: Bioakumulasi, radionuklid semula jadi. kepekatan aktiviti, dos pengambilan, risiko kanser

 

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