The transfer of artificial radioelements contained in seaweed to food transformation products (alginates and carrageenans)

¹ Institut de Protection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, Département de Protection de l'Environnement, Service d'Études et Recherches Radioécologiques dans les Milieux NATurels, LERFA, 50130 Cherbourg-Octeville, France
² Institut de Protection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, Département de Protection de l'Environnement, Service d'Études et Recherches Radioécologiques dans les Milieux NATurels, LERMC, CE Cadarache, 13108 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, France
³ Institut de Protection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, Département de Protection de l'Environnement, Service d'Études et Recherches Radioécologiques dans les Milieux NATurels, LMRE, Bois des Rames, bâtiment 501, 91400 Orsay, France
⁴ DEGUSSA Texturant Systems, 50500 Baupte, France

Abstract

As part of the work of the Groupe Radioécologie Nord Cotentin (the Nord Cotentin Radioecology Group or GRNC), a study has been carried out of potential routes of exposure associated with the industrial extraction of gelling agent from seaweed harvested on the coastline of the English Channel. The main question was whether the seaweed transformation operations tend to eliminate or concentrate the radioactivity in the consumed products. Work carried out in 1989 showed that the extraction of gelling agents from seaweed results in a significant reduction in the artificial radioactivity present in the raw product for radionuclides such as ¹³⁷Cs, ¹²⁵Sb, ¹⁰⁶Ru-Rh, ⁶⁰Co, ⁹⁹Tc, ^110mAg, but with the exception of ⁹⁰Sr. However, it seemed important to complete this work by studying transfers of ¹²⁹I, plutonium isotopes (^{238, 239, 240}Pu), ²⁴¹Am and ²⁴⁴Cm. The seaweed species studied (Laminaria digitata and Chondrus crispus) were collected during February 1999 in the port of Goury, 5 km from the outlet pipe of the La Hague COGEMA nuclear reprocessing plant. This new study confirms that a significant proportion of the artificial radioactivity present in the initial product is eliminated in the end products, including Iodine, Plutonium, Americium and Curium.