Determination of Radionuclide Concentrations in Tea Samples Cultivated in Guilan Province, Iran

Poursharif, Zahra; Ebrahiminia, Ali; Asadinezhad, Mohsen; Nickfarjam, Abolfazl; Haeri, Abolghasem; Khoshgard, Karim

doi:10.22038/ijmp.2016.6842

Determination of Radionuclide Concentrations in Tea Samples Cultivated in Guilan Province, Iran

Document Type : Original Paper

Authors

Zahra Poursharif ¹

Ali Ebrahiminia ²

Mohsen Asadinezhad ²

Abolfazl Nickfarjam ³

Abolghasem Haeri ⁴

Karim Khoshgard ⁵

¹ Department of Food Science & Technology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

² Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran

³ Department of Medical Physics, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran

⁴ Radiological Protection Department, Nuclear science & technology research institute, Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Tehran, Iran

⁵ Department of Medical Physics& Medical Engineering, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran

10.22038/ijmp.2016.6842

Abstract

Introduction
Foodstuffs are known to contain natural and artificial radionuclides. Determination of radionuclide concentration is of great significance for the protection of human health. The main objective of the present study was the quantification of radionuclides in tea samples, cultivated in Guilan Province in North of Iran.
Materials and Methods
The activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K, and ¹³⁷Cs in 18 tea samples were measured, using a gamma spectrometry system. In addition, radium equivalent index (Ra_eq) and radiation hazard index (HI) were calculated. ANOVA test was used for the statistical analysis of the data
Results
The concentration of¹³⁷Cs was below the minimum detectable activity (MDA). The concentrations of²²⁶Ra and ²³²Th ranged from < MDA to 0.042 and < MDA to 0.037 Bq/kg respectively. The mean concentration of ⁴⁰K was 410±15 Bq/kg. Based on the findings, the concentration of ⁴⁰K was significantly higher than other radionuclides (P<0.01). Also, the mean Ra_eq value was estimated at 31.8±1.2 Bq/kg, and HI in the samples ranged from 0.075 to 0.093.
Conclusion
According to the findings, the activity level of radionuclides in tea samples was found to be within the acceptable range and therefore, non-threatening to public health.

Keywords

Radionuclide

Tea

gamma spectrometry

Subjects