Transfer of 90Sr into fish in Finnish lakes

The long-term behavior of 90Sr was investigated from 1987 to 1997 in fifteen lakes in southern and central Finland following the 1986 Chernobyl accident. Both water and fish samples (perch, pike, vendace) were analyzed. 90Sr stays long in the freshwater ecosystem; the observed half-lives during the study period were generally around 10 years in water and even longer in fish. One lake exhibited very different behavior for 90Sr, with elevated levels in fish and water and very short observed half-life in fish, less than 2 years. Concentration factors of 90Sr in fish (Bqkg−1 f.w. in fish/Bqkg−1 in water) among the studied lakes significantly correlated with both the Ca concentration and electrical conductivity of the water. More 90Sr was transferred into fish in lakes with a low electrical conductivity and a low Ca concentration. Among other water parameters evaluated were pH, color, total nitrogen, and phosphorus.