Radioactivity levels in the mostly local foodstuff consumed by residents of the high level natural radiation areas of Ramsar, Iran.
Among High Level Natural Radiation Areas (HLNRAs) all over the world, the northern coastal city of Ramsar has been considered enormously important. Many studies have measured environmental radioactivity in Ramsar, however, no survey has been undertaken to measure concentrations in the diets of residents. This study determined the226Ra activity concentration in the daily diet of people of Ramsar. The samples were chosen from both normal and high level natural radiation areas and based on the daily consumption patterns of residents. About 150 different samples, which all are local and have the highest consumption, were collected during the four seasons. In these samples, after washing and drying and pretreatment, the radionuclide was determined by α-spectrometry. The mean radioactivity concentration of226Ra ranged between 5 ± 1 mBq kg-1wet weight (chino and meat) to 725 ± 480 mBq kg-1for tea dry leaves. The226Ra activity concentrations compared with the reference values of UNSCEAR appear to be higher in leafy vegetables, milk and meat product. Of the total daily dietary226Ra exposure for adults in Ramsar, the largest percentage was from eggs. The residents consuming eggs from household chickens may receive an elevated dose in the diet.
Center for Air Pollution Research (CAPR), Institute for Environmental Research (IER), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Nasrin
N
Fathabadi
Department of Energy Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran.
Ali Akbar
AA
Salehi
Center for Air Pollution Research (CAPR), Institute for Environmental Research (IER), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: knadafi@tums.ac.ir.
Kazem
K
Naddafi
Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute, Tehran, Iran.
Mohammad Reza
MR
Kardan
Center for Air Pollution Research (CAPR), Institute for Environmental Research (IER), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Masud
M
Yunesian
Center for Air Pollution Research (CAPR), Institute for Environmental Research (IER), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Ramin Nabizadeh
RN
Nodehi
Department of Medical Physics, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Mohammad Reza
MR
Deevband
Department of Medical Physics, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Molood Gooniband
MG
Shooshtari
Environmental Radiological Protection Division, National Radiation Protection Department, Iran Nuclear Regulatory Authority, Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Tehran, Iran.
Saeedeh Sadat
SS
Hosseini
Environmental Radiological Protection Division, National Radiation Protection Department, Iran Nuclear Regulatory Authority, Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Tehran, Iran.
Mahtab
M
Karimi
D000328:Adult; D001417:Background Radiation; D005260:Female; D005507:Food Contamination, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D000069079:Radiation Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D011848:Radioactive Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D011851:Radioactivity
D011848:Radioactive Pollutants
(226)Ra; Foodstuff; High level natural radiation areas; Radioactivity; Ramsar; α-spectrometry