Cancer Risk Due to the Natural Radioactivity in Cigarette Tobacco

Abstract

Thirty-one samples of cigarettes have been collected from local markets of different types of origins. The samples were selected according to a survey distributed to smokers by paper and digital survey to see the most heavily traded among smokers and in addition to a number of questions to see how the awareness and the culture of smokers in diseases caused by smoking and considered this study the first survey in Iraq. The aim of this research is to assess the number of cancer cases due to cigarette smoking. Through the use of High-Purity Germanium system (HPGe) (efficiency 40%) we determinated the radionuclides in cigarette tobacco. The average values were (14.86 ± 3.76, 10.84 ± 3.13, 1050.64 ± 47.57) Bq/kg for Ra-226, Th-232 and K-40, respectively, and the excess lifetime of cancer risk values ranged from 0.54 to 130 at average of 76 per million person per year. Raeq values varied from 18.50 to 87.21.4 Bq/kg with an average value of 39.51 Bq/kg for tobacco samples. The annual effective dose (HE) varies from 16.38 µSv/y to 44.69 µSv/y with an average value of 24.97 µsv/y. The Annual Gonadal Dose Equivalent (AGDE) varies from 0.3 to 0.64 (mSv/y) with an average value of 0.42 for all tobacco samples under investigation.

Bazı tütün örneklerinde doğal radyonüklitlerin aktivite konsantrasyonları ve yıllık etkin doz değerleri üzerine bir çalışma

“…Spectra were analyzed automatically by using Gamma-W computer software [12]. where MT (kgy -1 ) is annual consumed quantity of tobacco mass which is estimated as 8.979 kg y -1 [4], MT (kgy -1 ) is calculated estimating a smoker consumes 30 cigarette per day or 24.6 g of tobacco per day in Ref. [4].…”

“…where MT (kgy -1 ) is annual consumed quantity of tobacco mass which is estimated as 8.979 kg y -1 [4], MT (kgy -1 ) is calculated estimating a smoker consumes 30 cigarette per day or 24.6 g of tobacco per day in Ref. [4]. Ai stands the concentration of the i th radionuclide, F (SvBq -1 ) is dose conversation factor which is 4.8 × 10 −9 SvBq -1 for 214 Pb, 1.2 ×10 −8 SvBq -1 for 214 Bi, 2.9 × 10 −8 SvBq -1 for 228 Ac and 3.0 × 10 −9 SvBq -1 for 40 K [19].…”

“…Excess lifetime cancer risk ( ) is calculated using following equation [4,20]:…”

“…Activity concentration of 40 K and 226 Ra are higher than 232 Th because tobacco cultivated soil may be including high radioactivity or fertilizer and high activity concentration radionuclides can be transferred from roots to tobacco plant. General components of fertilizer are potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus which are commonly used in the agriculture of tobacco plant [4]. The use of fertilizer in soil or cultivated area may bring enhancement in the radionuclide components.…”

“…With the population growth, smoking becomes fashion of being modern specially in youngsters these days. But there is strong correlation between tobacco, cigarette, its smoke and lungs cancer [4]. Risk of occuring lungs cancer among non-smokers is ten times less than that of smokers [5].…”