Natural and anthropogenic radioactivity in some vegetables and fruits commonly consumed in the Western Black Sea region of Turkey

Abstract

In this study, the activity concentration of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, and 137Cs in some vegetable and fruit samples frequently consumed in Kastamonu province located in the West Black Sea region of Turkey were determined using a gamma-ray spectrometer. The activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K varied from 0.8 ± 0.1 to 32.8 ± 1.3, 0.7 ± 0.1 to 41.3 ± 21 and 391.8 ± 18.3 to 4679.0 ± 311.4 Bq kg−1 (dw), respectively, in twenty-eight vegetables and 1.3 ± 0.1 to 12.6 ± 0.4, 1.4 ± 0.1 to 15.0 ± 0.5 and 133.0 ± 84 to 777.0 ± 69.4 Bq kg−1 (dw), respectively, in seven fruit samples. The highest activity concentration of 226Ra and 232Th was measured in the garlic sample, while the highest activity concentration of 40K was measured in the spinach sample. Artificial radionuclide 137Cs was measured only in four vegetable samples; its activity concentration in garlic, eggplant, cucumber and carrot samples was determined as 9.6 ± 0.3, 3.1 ± 0.1, 3.1 ± 0.1 and 2.2 ± 0.1 Bq kg−1 (dw), respectively. The results obtained were compared with the results of similar studies in the literature. Annual effective radiation dose to adults due to the internal irradiation caused by ingestion of the investigated vegetable and fruit samples, and the corresponding excess lifetime cancer risk were estimated as 201 µSv and 8.9 × 10−5, respectively. The contribution of 40K to the total annual effective radiation dose was found as approximately 70%.

Forensic Radiometric Assessment of Cattle Organs and Chicken Giblets and Estimation of their Radiological Health Risk on Man

“…The present study radionuclides annual effective ingestion doses are in this order, 40 K > 226 Ra > 232 Th for cattle organs and 226 Ra > 232 Th > 40 K for chicken parts. 40 K, through its beta radiation (E = 1.35 MeV) can cause internal irradiation (Altamemi et al, 2021). However, being an intra cellular cation and a major essential element for biological processes, it is regulated under homoeostatic control, therefore, its contribution to internal dose is not of much concern (Afshari et al, 2009;Ugbede et al, 2022).…”