International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Article Assessment of Radioactivity Level in the Terrestrial and Marine Organisms in Yangjiang and Its Adjacent Areas (China) Dongmei Li 1,2,3,4,†, Zhongchen Jiang 1,2,3,4,†, Li Zhao 1,2,3,4, Feng Zhao 1,2,3,4 and Peng Zhou 1,2,3,4,* 1 South China Sea Environment Monitoring Center, State Oceanic Administration (SOA), Guangzhou 510300, China; [email protected] (D.L.); [email protected] (Z.J.); [email protected] (L.Z.); [email protected] (F.Z.) 2 South China Sea Testing and Appraisal Center, State Oceanic Administration (SOA), Guangzhou 510300, China 3 Nansha Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Guangzhou 510300, China 4 Key Laboratory of Marine Enironmental Survey Technology and Application, Ministry of Natural Resources of People’s Republic of China (MNR), Guangzhou 510300, China * Correspondence: [email protected] † These authors contributed equally to this work. Abstract: In order to assess the radioactive level in the terrestrial and marine organisms in Yangjiang and the adjacent areas, 90Sr, gross beta and gamma-emitting radionuclides (238U, 226Ra, 228Th, 226Ra, 40K, 137Cs, 51Cr, 55Fe, 54Mn, 58Co, 60Co and 65Zn) were analyzed from 2011 to 2012. The annual effective doses were estimated in the high natural radioactive background areas in Yangjiang (HBRAYJ). The specific activities of 238U, 228Th, 226Ra, 40K and 137Cs in all organisms were <0.05–5.20, 51 55 54 58 60 65 0.30–14.50, 0.11–3.58, 11.1–148.0 and <0.003–0.088 Bq/kg, whilst Cr, Fe, Mn, Co, Co, Zn and 110mAg were below the minimum detectable activity. 90Sr and gross beta specific activities were 20.0–143.0 and 0.021–0.316 Bq/kg. Results show that 228Th was significantly higher than 238U and Citation: Li, D.; Jiang, Z.; Zhao, L.; 226 228 226 40 137 Zhao, F.; Zhou, P. Assessment of Ra of natural U series in organisms due to the rich-Th soils in the HBRAYJ; Th, Ra, K, Cs 90 Radioactivity Level in the Terrestrial and Sr were greatly lower than the limited concentrations in Chinese foods. The internal dose 40 226 228 and Marine Organisms in Yangjiang mainly contributes to natural K, Ra and Th. It is useful to provide some basic data and assess and Its Adjacent Areas (China). Int. J. the radiological risk from the HBRAYJ and Yangjiang nuclear power plants in future. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 8767. https://doi.org/10.3390/ Keywords: radioactivity; risk assessment; terrestrial and marine organisms; Yangjiang and the ijerph18168767 adjacent areas Academic Editor: Jimmy T. Efird Received: 29 June 2021 1. Introduction Accepted: 9 August 2021 Published: 19 August 2021 Yangjiang is one of the famous areas with high natural radioactive background areas (HBRAYJ) in China, where the radiation level is about three times more than that in its 2 Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral adjacent normal background radiation areas (CA). Two HBRA regions with ~540 km with regard to jurisdictional claims in are Dong-anling region (including three villages of Yong’an, Huan’an and Liang’an) and published maps and institutional affil- Tongyou region [1–4]. Yangjiang nuclear power plants (i.e., YJNPP) base is situated at the iations. eastern coast in Dongping in Yangjiang, where six nuclear power units (6 × 1080 MW) have been built at present. The YJNPP site is more than 30 km away from the HBRAYJ, so that the natural radioactivity in the YJNPP base is generally at the normal background level [5]. The No.1 nuclear power unit began to be built on 26 September 2007 and came into operation on 26 March 2014. At present, six nuclear power units had been put into Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. commercial operation until 24 July 2019. The low-level anthropogenic radioactive liquid This article is an open access article and gas from the YJNPP normal operation maybe influence directly and/or indirectly the 3 distributed under the terms and surrounding terrestrial and marine environment. Some radionuclides (e.g., H in water conditions of the Creative Commons and gamma-emitting radionuclides in marine sediments) and radiation effect have been Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// studied near YJNPP [5–7]. creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ It is known that nuclear power is a clean and high-quality energy that can improve 4.0/). China’s energy supply structure, ensure energy and economic security and protect the Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 8767. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18168767 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 14 Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 8767It is known that nuclear power is a clean and high-quality energy that can improve2 of 13 China’s energy supply structure, ensure energy and economic security and protect the environment. The development of Yangjiang city was always restricted by power and in- frastructureenvironment. at past. The The development YJNPP is ofa nuclea Yangjiangr power city plant was alwaysbuilt within/near restricted bythe powerHBRAYJ. and Suchinfrastructure examples of at past.building The nuclear YJNPP ispower a nuclear plants power in high-level plant built areas within/near are rare in the the HBRAYJ. world. TheSuch effects examples of low of dose building radiation nuclear on human power plantsin the HBRAYJ in high-level has been areas still are an rare unsolved in the world. but veryThe important effects of lowissue. dose In addition, radiation the on humaneffects of in low the HBRAYJdose radiation has been on non-human still an unsolved species but hasvery become important a concern issue. since In addition, the beginning the effects of this of lowcentury. dose Therefore, radiation on it is non-human a necessary species task tohas investigate become asystematically concern since the the current beginning radioactive of this century. levels and Therefore, assess scientifically it is a necessary the po- task tentialto investigate risk. systematically the current radioactive levels and assess scientifically the potentialIt is important risk. to determine the radionuclides in the environment because they con- stituteIt a issource important of exposure to determine of flora, the fauna radionuclides and humans. in the Assessments environment of because such radiological they consti- consequencestute a source to of the exposure environment of flora, generally fauna and include humans. consideration Assessments of the of dose such from radiological inges- tionconsequences of contaminated to the environmentfoodstuffs [8]. generally Here, some include organisms consideration were collected of the dose in Yangjiang from inges- andtion the of adjacent contaminated areas during foodstuffs August [8]. 2011–Ap Here, someril 2012, organisms according were to collected the local inproduction Yangjiang andand diet the habits. adjacent This areas radioactive during August investigation 2011–April in various 2012, accordingspecies organisms to the local is conducted production firstlyanddiet and habits. systematically. This radioactive Some items investigation of 238U, 228 inTh, various 226Ra, species40K, 90Sr, organisms 137Cs, 134Cs, is conducted51Cr, 55Fe, 238 228 226 40 90 137 134 51 54firstlyMn, 58Co, and 60 systematically.Co, 65Zn, 110mAg Some and gross items beta of wereU, analyzedTh, Ra, to estimateK, Sr, annualCs, effectiveCs, Cr, 55 54 58 60 65 110m doseFe, nearMn, the HBRAYJCo, Co, andZn, YJNPP.Ag Just and sampling gross beta time were is after analyzed the Fukushima to estimate Nuclear annual Powereffective Plants dose Accident near the (FNA) HBRAYJ in March and YJNPP.2011, and Just before sampling the YJNPP time commercial is after the Fukushimaoperation. Therefore,Nuclear Power our results Plants are Accident expected (FNA) to provid in Marche some 2011, basic and background before the data. YJNPP The commercial dose cal- culationsoperation. should Therefore, help the our pub resultslic quantitatively are expected assessing to provide the some risk basic associated background with con- data. sumptionThe dose of calculations these popular should organisms. help the It public is useful quantitatively to the routine assessing and emergency the risk associated radioac- tivewith monitoring consumption around of these the popularYJNNP. organisms.This study Itis isalso useful expected to the and routine help and to assess emergency the radiologicalradioactive risk monitoring from the around HBRAYJ the and YJNNP. Yangjiang This study nuclear is alsopower expected plants andin future. help to assess the radiological risk from the HBRAYJ and Yangjiang nuclear power plants in future. 2. Materials and Methods 2. Materials and Methods 2.1.2.1. Sampling Sampling and and Preparation Preparation SamplesSamples were were collected collected from from the the local local field-cultivated field-cultivated areas areas or or markets markets in in Yangjiang Yangjiang andand the the adjacent adjacent areas areas (viz (viz,, Dongping, Dongping, Dagou, Dagou, Huangjiangwe Huangjiangwei,i, Zhapo, Zhapo, Xiachuan Xiachuan island) island) fromfrom 5 5August August 2011 2011 to to 3 3December December 2012 2012 (Figur (Figuree 1).1). These These organisms organisms included included twitch twitch grass, grass, bok-choy,bok-choy, sweet sweet potato, potato, unhulled unhulled rice, rice, turnip, turnip, sugarcane, sugarcane, chicken, chicken, freshwater/sea freshwater/sea fish, fish, sea sea shrimpshrimp and and mollusks mollusks (eg. (eg. oysters, oysters, mussels), mussels), et etc.c. All All organisms organisms are are divided divided into into six six sorts sorts basedbased on on the the local local diet, diet, viz, viz, Crops, Crops, Potatoes Potatoes,, Vegetables/fruits, Vegetables/fruits, Fodder, Fodder, Meat/fish/shrimp. Meat/fish/shrimp. TheThe measurement measurement and and date date possess possess were were perf performedormed in the RadioactivityRadioactivity MonitoringMonitoring Labo- La- boratoryratory of of South South China China Sea Sea Environment Environment Monitoring Monitoring Center, Center, State Stat Oceanice Oceanic Administration Administra- tion(SOA), (SOA), China.