title: 137Cs contamination in tea and yerba mate in South America.
abstract: Gamma-ray spectra from more than 50 samples of food products available in stores of Buenos Aires city were measured using a germanium detector. Activity concentrations of 137Cs up to 10 Bq/kg were found in tea and yerba mate manufactured in Apóstoles, Argentina. Further measurements of tea leaves, yerba mate leaves and soils, all coming from a cultivated area in that region, also show the presence of 137Cs contamination. The results suggest that the area was fertilized with a product that originated in a region affected by the fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear plant accident.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Nacional de Luján, Rutas 5 y 7, Luján, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina. digregorio@tandar.cnea.gov.ar
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Di Gregorio
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huck
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aristegui
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Lazzari
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jech
mesh_terms: D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D005308:Fertilizers; D005506:Food Contamination; D011210:Power Plants; D011847:Radioactive Fallout; D018788:Radioactive Hazard Release; D011848:Radioactive Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D013020:South America; D013662:Tea; D014455:Ukraine
chemical_list: D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D005308:Fertilizers; D011847:Radioactive Fallout; D011848:Radioactive Pollutants; D013662:Tea