Uptake and elimination of iodine-131 by the freshwater clam Corbicula manilensis Philippi from water

Abstract

Whole body uptake of Iodine-131 by the freshwater clam, Corbicula manilensis, from contaminated water was followed using NaI scintillation counter. The bioaccumulation factor (BF) exclusive of shell was 5.44. The degree of bioaccumulation of I-131 by the different tissues is as follows: visceral remains > gills > gut > gonads > mantle > muscle > foot. The specific activities of the different tissues corresponded with their BF values. The relative distribution of I-131 in the different tissues was generally proportional to the weight ratio of each tissue. Elimination studies gave the effective half-life, \(T^{e}_{0.5}\), of 4.5 days. Estimation of \(T_{0.5}^{e}\) in the different tissues gave the following values: 12 d (mantle), 3.9 d (gonad and muscle), 3.6 d (gut), 3.4 d (gills), 2.4 d (foot) and 1.9 d (visceral remains).