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

İngilizce (OpenAlex)

Abstract In this study, the activity concentration of 226 Ra, 232 Th, 40 K, and 137 Cs 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 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K 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 226 Ra and 232 Th was measured in the garlic sample, while the highest activity concentration of 40 K was measured in the spinach sample. Artificial radionuclide 137 Cs 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 40 K to the total annual effective radiation dose was found as approximately 70%.