title: Analysis of internal exposure associated with consumption of crops and groundwater from the high background radiation area of Mrima Hill, Kenya.
abstract: Specific concentrations of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K were measured in cassava tubers, cassava leaves and groundwater obtained from the high background radiation area of Mrima hill and used in the evaluation of the ingested dose. Cassava tubers, cassava leaves and groundwater registered average (226)Ra concentrations of 60 ± 5, 141 ± 11 and 4.3 ± 0.3 Bq kg(-1), respectively. (232)Th was not detected in cassava leaves although it was present in cassava tubers as well as in groundwater in average concentrations of 35.3±61.5 and 2.0±0.1 Bq kg(-1), respectively. (40)K was present in all samples in average concentrations of 842±539 Bq kg(-1) in cassava tubers, 1708 ± 552 Bq kg(-1) in cassava leaves and 91.4 Bq kg(-1) in groundwater. The total annual effective dose due to ingestion was found to be 7.9 mSv y(-1) of which 2.4 mSv y(-1) was due to cassava tubers, 3.8 mSv y(-1) due to cassava leaves and 1.7 mSv y(-1) due to water.
authors.affiliation: Physics Department, Kenyatta University, Mombasa Campus, PO Box 16778, Mombasa, Kenya znimo@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Chege
authors.affiliation: Physics Department, Kenyatta University, PO Box 43844, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: N O
authors.initials: NO
authors.lastname: Hashim
authors.affiliation: Physics Department, Kenyatta University, PO Box 43844, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Merenga
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Radiation Protection, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, Neuherberg 85764, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tschiersch
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D001417:Background Radiation; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000737:chemistry*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005504:Food Analysis / Q000379:methods; D005507:Food Contamination, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D060587:Groundwater / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D000069079:Radiation Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014915:Whole-Body Counting / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D011868:Radioisotopes