201
Although of limited relevance in assessment studies, it is worth noting that there
has been some interest in the use of earthworms as biomarkers for uranium.
Bioaccumulation tends to be greater at lower concentrations of uranium in soil, suggesting adaptation of the organisms by enhanced bioexclusion (Di Leila et al. 2005;
Giovanetti et al. 2010). Observed effects included histological changes in the body
wall and gastrointestinal tract, and it has been suggested that such histopathological
changes could be a useful biomarker of soil quality (Lourenço et al. 2011, 2012).
Table 3 (continued)
Wildlife group:
terrestrial
Concentration ratio (Bq per kg fresh weight whole organism/Bq per kg
dry weight soil)
AM
AMSD GM
GMSD Minimum Maximum N
Wildlife group:
marine
Concentration ratio (Bq per kg fresh weight whole organism/Bq per L
of water)
AM
AMSD GM
GMSD Minimum Maximum N
Fish
8.8 10
0
6.1 10
0
7.3
10
0
1.9 10
0 2.0 10
0
1.8 10
1
9
Macroalgae
8.3 10
1
9.9 10
1
5.4
10
1
2.6 10
0 2.1 10
1
5.1 10
2
47
Molluscs
3.2 10
1
3.0 10
1
2.4
10
1
2.2 10
0 4.0 10
0
9.7 10
1
22
Molluscs: bivalve
3.5 10
1
3.5 10
1
2.5
10
1
2.3 10
0 4.0 10
0
9.7 10
1
13
Phytoplankton
2.2 10
2
2.3 10
2
1.5
10
2
2.4 10
0 1.0 10
1
6.0 10
2
10
Sea anemones, true
corals
9.9 10
2
4.4 10
2
9.1
10
2
1.5 10
0 4.2 10
2
1.8 10
3
38
Vascular plants
2.4 10
2
1.7 10
2
3.0 10
2
2
Zooplankton
3.7 10
0
4.8 10
0
2.3
10
0
2.7 10
0 1.7 10
−1
5.5 10
0
3
Wildlife group:
brackish
Concentration ratio (Bq per kg fresh weight whole organism/Bq per L
of water)
AM
AMSD GM
GMSD Minimum Maximum N
Crustaceans
3.5 10
0
2.3 10
0
3.0
10
0
1.8 10
0 8.3 10
−1
7.6 10
0
9
Fish
4.6 10
−1
1.7
10
−1
4.4
10
−1
1.4 10
0 4.0 10
−1
5.6 10
−1
9
Macroalgae
3.9 10
1
7.8 10
1
1.7
10
1
3.6 10
0 8.6 10
−1
3.3 10
2
49
Molluscs
2.6 10
1
2.5 10
1
1.9
10
1
2.2 10
0 3.7 10
0
9.1 10
1
27
Vascular plants
1.4 10
2
4.6 10
1
1.3
10
2
1.4 10
0
3
AM arithmetic mean, AMSD arithmetic mean standard deviation, GM geometric mean, GMSD
geometric mean standard deviation, N number of data
Assessment Modelling and the Evaluation of Radiological and Chemical Impacts…
Although of limited relevance in assessment studies, it is worth noting that there
has been some interest in the use of earthworms as biomarkers for uranium.
Bioaccumulation tends to be greater at lower concentrations of uranium in soil, suggesting adaptation of the organisms by enhanced bioexclusion (Di Leila et al. 2005;
Giovanetti et al. 2010). Observed effects included histological changes in the body
wall and gastrointestinal tract, and it has been suggested that such histopathological
changes could be a useful biomarker of soil quality (Lourenço et al. 2011, 2012).
Table 3 (continued)
Wildlife group:
terrestrial
Concentration ratio (Bq per kg fresh weight whole organism/Bq per kg
dry weight soil)
AM
AMSD GM
GMSD Minimum Maximum N
Wildlife group:
marine
Concentration ratio (Bq per kg fresh weight whole organism/Bq per L
of water)
AM
AMSD GM
GMSD Minimum Maximum N
Fish
8.8 10
0
6.1 10
0
7.3
10
0
1.9 10
0 2.0 10
0
1.8 10
1
9
Macroalgae
8.3 10
1
9.9 10
1
5.4
10
1
2.6 10
0 2.1 10
1
5.1 10
2
47
Molluscs
3.2 10
1
3.0 10
1
2.4
10
1
2.2 10
0 4.0 10
0
9.7 10
1
22
Molluscs: bivalve
3.5 10
1
3.5 10
1
2.5
10
1
2.3 10
0 4.0 10
0
9.7 10
1
13
Phytoplankton
2.2 10
2
2.3 10
2
1.5
10
2
2.4 10
0 1.0 10
1
6.0 10
2
10
Sea anemones, true
corals
9.9 10
2
4.4 10
2
9.1
10
2
1.5 10
0 4.2 10
2
1.8 10
3
38
Vascular plants
2.4 10
2
1.7 10
2
3.0 10
2
2
Zooplankton
3.7 10
0
4.8 10
0
2.3
10
0
2.7 10
0 1.7 10
−1
5.5 10
0
3
Wildlife group:
brackish
Concentration ratio (Bq per kg fresh weight whole organism/Bq per L
of water)
AM
AMSD GM
GMSD Minimum Maximum N
Crustaceans
3.5 10
0
2.3 10
0
3.0
10
0
1.8 10
0 8.3 10
−1
7.6 10
0
9
Fish
4.6 10
−1
1.7
10
−1
4.4
10
−1
1.4 10
0 4.0 10
−1
5.6 10
−1
9
Macroalgae
3.9 10
1
7.8 10
1
1.7
10
1
3.6 10
0 8.6 10
−1
3.3 10
2
49
Molluscs
2.6 10
1
2.5 10
1
1.9
10
1
2.2 10
0 3.7 10
0
9.1 10
1
27
Vascular plants
1.4 10
2
4.6 10
1
1.3
10
2
1.4 10
0
3
AM arithmetic mean, AMSD arithmetic mean standard deviation, GM geometric mean, GMSD
geometric mean standard deviation, N number of data
Assessment Modelling and the Evaluation of Radiological and Chemical Impacts…