First natural radioactivity analysis of the algae arrivals to Canary beaches. Las Canteras beach

Abstract

A first radiological characterization of the algae arrivals in the most important beach of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Canteras beach has been carried out in the present work. Nineteen samples of five different species of algae were collected along the beach at low tide, and from January 26, 2017 to May 29, 2017. The main aim of this work was study the principal radionuclide content in the algae by alpha- and gamma-spectrometry. The radionuclides of the Uranium series determined by alpha- spectrometry were 238U, 235U, 234U and 210Po, and by gamma- spectrometry were 7Be, 40K, and, 234Th, 226Ra, 210Pb, from 238U-serie as well as 224Ra and 228Th from 232Th-serie. These radionuclides were analysed to taking account typical values of activity concentration in marine water. For this propose, activity concentration, its ratios and concentration factor have been determined for different algae collected samples. A comparison with typical values of activity concentration in marine water and with other values corresponding algae samples found in the bibliography has been done. Finally, this study was completed by determining the possible impact of the aforementioned radionuclides by ingestion and external exposure.