Assessment of radiological hazards in cooking liquid oil, used in Kurdistan region-Iraq

Abstract

In this study, the cooking liquid oil as a principal foodstuff element in meals of Kurdistan region population has been examined for radioactivity assessment. The activity concentration of natural and artificial radionuclides in twenty one oil types available in Kurdistan region markets were calculated using NaI(Tl) gamma-ray spectrometer. The results indicates that the activity concentration of 238U, 232Th and 40K radionuclides were ranged in Bq/L from 0.167- 0.207, 0.148-0.613 and 0.184-12.018, respectively. For 137Cs artificial radionuclide, the activity concentration was below the detection limit. The radiological parameters derived from the primordial radionuclides of radium equivalent Raeq, , Indoor Absorbed Gamma Dose Rate (Din), Indoor Annual Effective Dose Rate (Ein), Annual Committed Effective Dose, Representative Level Index (RLI) and Excess Life Time Cancer Risk were calculated to be well below the recommendation values suggested by UNSCEAR 200. Thus, it’s concluded that the usage of the 21 studied oil samples do not create any radiological risks and safe for consumptions. References Adedokun, M.B., Aweda, M.A., Maleka, P.P., Obed, R.I., Ogungbemi, K.I. and Ibitoye, Z.A., 2019. Natural radioactivity contents in commonly consumed leafy vegetables cultivated through surface water irrigation in Lagos state, Nigeria. Journal of Radiation Research and Applied Sciences, 12(1), pp.147-156. Al-Ghamdi, A. and Alzahrani, J., 2017. Studies of 226Ra, 28Th and 40K Concentrations in Cooking Oil and Estimation the Radiological Hazards to Human Health. American Scientific Research Journal for Engineering, Technology, and Sciences (ASRJETS), 31(1), pp.78-84. Al-Hamidawi, A.A., Al-Gazaly, H.H. and Al-Alasadi, L.A., 2013. Determination of natural radiation contamination for some types of legumes available in the Iraqi markets. Pelagia Research Library, 4(5), pp.245-250. Awudu, A., Faanu, A., Darko, E., Emi-Reynolds, G., Adukpo, O., Kpeglo, D., Otoo, F., Lawluvi, H., Kpodzro, R., Ali, I. and Obeng, M., 2011. Preliminary studies on 226Ra, 228Ra, 228Th and 40K concentrations in foodstuffs consumed by inhabitants of Accra metropolitan area, Ghana. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 291(3), pp.635-641). Cherry, S.R., Sorenson, J.A. and Phelps, M.E., 2012. Physics in nuclear medicine e-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences. Hammood, H.A., and Al-Khalifa, I.J.M., 2011. Radon concentration measurement in water of Dhi-Qar governorate in Iraq using emanometer. Journal of Basrah Researches (Sciences), 37(5), pp.22-29.) Mamont-Ciesla, K.,Gwiazdowski,B.,Biernacka,M.,Zak,A.,1982. Radioactivity of Building materials in Poland. In:Vohra,G.,Pillai,K.C.,Sadavisan,S.(Eds.), Natural Radiation Environment .Halsted Press, NewYork, p.551. Misdaq, M.A. and Touti, R., 2012. Annual committed effective dose from olive oil (due to 238U, 232Th, and 222Rn) estimated for members of the Moroccan public from ingestion and skin application. Health physics, 102(3), pp.335-345. Morino, Y., Ohara, T. and Nishizawa, M., 2011. Atmospheric behavior, deposition, and budget of radioactive materials from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in March 2011. Geophysical research letters, 38(7). Ononugbo, C.P., Avwiri, G.O. and Ikhuiwu, S.O., 2017. Estimation of natural radioactivity levels in some food spices commonly used in Nigeria and its radiological risks. Journal of Scientific Research and Reports, 16(3), pp.1-9. Podgorsak, E.B., 2003. Review of radiation oncology physics: a handbook for teachers and students. Vienna, Austria: IAE Agency. Podgoršak, E.B., 2006. Radiation physics for medical physicists (Vol. 1). Berlin: Springer. United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, 2000. Sources and effects of ionizing radiation, ANNEX B, Exposures from natural radiation sources. UNSCEAR 2000 REPORT, New York, 1, pp.97-99. WHO (2008) Guidelines for drinking- water quality, third edition, vol1 Geneva. United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. (1993). UNSCEAR 1993. Sources and effects of ionizing radiation, UNSCEAR report to the general assembly with scientific annexes, United Nations, New York.‏