Intake of 210Po, 234U and 238U radionuclides with wine in Italy

Study of Polonium (210Po) Activity Concentration in Fruit Wines Derived from Different Locations in Poland

This study aimed at assessing the activity concentration and the annual effective dose of polonium-210 (210Po) in fruit wines derived from four locations in Poland (Warmian−Masurian, Podlaskie, Lubelskie and Małopolskie voivodeships). The fruit wines differed significantly (p < 0.05) in 210Po activity depending on the production site, with the Małopolskie site having the highest activity (61.4−221.4 mBq/L) and the Podlaskie having the lowest (3.5−97.1 mBq/L). The site differentiation was due to environmental conditions—soil parameters (uranium concentration), precipitations and terrain characteristics, e.g., the proximity of the lakes. The increased activity concentration of 210Po in samples from Małopolska compared with the other sites probably derived from the environment polluted with aqueous wastes and particulate air pollution. The annual effective dose due to the ingestion of fruit wines ranged from 0.112 to 1.214 µSv/year. These levels of exposure are safe according to the WHO criterion (0.1 mSv per year for ingestion) and to the IAEA reference level for public exposure including food (1 mSv per year). Summing up, the data obtained provide information on the activity concentration of 210Po in fruit wines and increase databases on the natural radioactivity of foodstuffs. Future work is needed to examine 210Po activity in samples from all vineyard regions in Poland.

Analytical study of 226Ra activity concentration in market consuming foodstuffs of Ramsar, Iran

BACKGROUND

Ramsar, a city of Iran located on the coast of the Caspian Sea, has been considered to be enormously important due to its high natural radioactivity levels. People living in High Level Natural Radiation Areas (HLNRAs) have been exposed by several sources, one of which could be foodstuff. However, many studies have been carried out to measure the environmental radioactivity in Ramsar, but no survey has been conducted in all stapled consumed foods yet. This study was dedicated to determine ²²⁶Ra activity concentration in the daily diets of Ramsar residents as a probable exposure.

METHODS

Approximately 70 different market samples were collected during the four seasons based on the daily consumption patterns of residents which have the highest consumption and their availability in the seasons. All samples, after washing, drying and pretreatment, were analyzed for ²²⁶Ra radionuclide determination by α-spectrometry.

RESULTS

The mean radioactivity concentration of ²²⁶Ra ranged between 7 ± 1 mBq Kg^-1 wet weight in meat, and 318 ± 118 mBq Kg^-1 for tea dry leaves. The ²²⁶Ra activity concentrations in collected samples varied from below the minimum detectable activity up to 530 ± 30 mBq Kg^-1. To compare the results with United Nations Scientific Committee on Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) reference values, the ²²⁶Ra activity concentrations concluded from the results appear to be higher in milk, chicken and eggs and less in grain products, vegetables, fruits and fish products. These results indicate that no significant ²²⁶Ra contamination is present in market foodstuffs and provide reference values for the foodstuffs in Ramsar.

CONCLUSIONS

Of the total daily dietary ²²⁶Ra exposure from market consuming foodstuffs for adults in Ramsar, the largest percentage was from wheat. The residents consuming wheat and manufacturing wheat products such as bread, pasta, porridge, crackers, biscuits, pancakes, pies, pastries, cakes, cookies, muffins, rolls, doughnuts, breakfast cereals and so on may receive an elevated dose in the diet. In conclusion, with regards to presence of ²²⁶Ra in foodstuffs it is necessary to monitor regularly the activity of ²²⁶Ra in foodstuffs including market and local foods.