title: Radioactivity and heavy metal concentrations in food samples from Rize, Turkey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rize in Turkey was contaminated by the Chernobyl accident in 1986. A comprehensive study was planned and carried out to determine the radioactivity levels and heavy metal concentrations in four food categories collected in Rize in 2008, 2009 and 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tomato showed the highest concentration of (238) U, at 9.43 ± 0.128 Bq kg(-1) , whereas the lowest concentration of 0.20 ± 0.02 Bq kg(-1) was measured in aubergine samples. The highest concentration of (232) Th was measured at 3.22 ± 0.29 Bq kg(-1) in grape samples. (40) K was found to contribute the highest activity in all the food samples. The highest activity concentration of (137) Cs was 10.20 ± 4.19 Bq kg(-1) , for parsley. The average contribution range of each of the heavy metals to the dietary intake was 0.13-9.14, 0.27-34.63, 0.05-3.62, 0.11-14.97, 0.78-8.51 and 0.01-1.57 mg, respectively, for Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ni and As.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The range of radioactivity levels in food samples of the present study is of no risk to public health. Heavy metal concentrations of Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ni and As obtained were far below the established values by FAO/WHO limits.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Physics, Rize University, Rize, Turkey. filizkorkmaz@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Filiz Korkmaz
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Görür
authors.forename: Recep
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Keser
authors.forename: Nilay
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akçay
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dizman
authors.forename: Nilüfer
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: As
authors.forename: Nazmi Turan
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Okumuşoğlu
mesh_terms: D047852:Chernobyl Nuclear Accident; D002523:Edible Grain / Q000737:chemistry; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000737:chemistry*; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D013997:Time Factors; D014421:Turkey; D014675:Vegetables / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive