title: Assessment of ²¹⁰Po in Italian diet.
abstract: This research was dedicated to the study, in the Italian daily diet, of the background activity concentration of (210)Po, a radionuclide with a high radiotoxicity. (210)Po was determined by alpha spectrometry. For food products of vegetable origin, the (210)Po activity concentration follows the trend: leafy vegetable>flour>rice>fruits>pasta>other vegetables>fruit vegetable; for those of animal origin: eggs>cheese>milk. The (210)Po activity concentration was also compared with that found by the same authors in meat, sea food, water and beverages in a previous study. The committed effective doses to individuals of three population groups (infants, children and adults) were 379, 222 and 151 μSv y(-1), respectively. The intake of foods of marine origin contributed about 67% of the total dose due to (210)Po ingestion. The effective dose, from (210)Po ingested by total diet, accounts for only 5-12% of the natural radiation exposure in Italy.
authors.affiliation: Biomolecular Sciences Department, University of Urbino, P.zza Rinascimento 6, 61029 Urbino, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Assunta
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Meli
authors.affiliation: Biomolecular Sciences Department, University of Urbino, P.zza Rinascimento 6, 61029 Urbino, Italy. Electronic address: donatella.desideri@uniurb.it.
authors.forename: Donatella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Desideri
authors.affiliation: Biomolecular Sciences Department, University of Urbino, P.zza Rinascimento 6, 61029 Urbino, Italy.
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Roselli
authors.affiliation: Biomolecular Sciences Department, University of Urbino, P.zza Rinascimento 6, 61029 Urbino, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Feduzi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003611:Dairy Products / Q000032:analysis*; D004032:Diet; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D011059:Polonium / Q000032:analysis*; D017747:Seafood / Q000032:analysis*; D014675:Vegetables / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D011059:Polonium
keywords: (210)Po; Dosimetric evaluation; Foodstuffs; Natural radioactivity