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

Raghda A. A. Altamemi; Şeref Turhan; Asli Kurnaz

doi:10.1515/ract-2021-1100

Article

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

Raghda A. A. Altamemi , Şeref Turhan and Asli Kurnaz

Published/Copyright: October 28, 2021

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From the journal Radiochimica Acta Volume 109 Issue 12

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%.

Keywords: cancer risk; food; Kastamonu (Turkey); radiation exposure effective dose; radioactivity

Corresponding author: Raghda A. A. Altamemi, College of Science, Kerbala University, Kerbala 56001, Iraq, E-mail: rghdhltm1988@gmail.com

Acknowledgments

This study was performed within the framework of a master thesis conducted at Kastamonu University.

Author contribution: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.
Research funding: None declared.
Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare no conflicts of interest regarding this article.

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Received: 2021-08-27

Revised: 2021-10-15

Accepted: 2021-10-18

Published Online: 2021-10-28

Published in Print: 2021-12-20

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/ract-2021-1100

Keywords for this article

cancer risk; food; Kastamonu (Turkey); radiation exposure effective dose; radioactivity