137Cs contamination in tea and yerba mate in South America.
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.
Di Gregorio
D E
DE
Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Nacional de Luján, Rutas 5 y 7, Luján, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina. digregorio@tandar.cnea.gov.ar
Huck
H
H
Aristegui
R
R
De Lazzari
G
G
Jech
A
A
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
D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D005308:Fertilizers; D011847:Radioactive Fallout; D011848:Radioactive Pollutants; D013662:Tea