Estimation of the soil to plant transfer factor and the annual organ equivalent dose due to ingestion of food crops in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam

Abstract

In this study, soil-to-plant transfer factor and annual organ equivalent dose due to ingestion of natural radionuclides in 13 popular food crop samples in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam were estimated. The obtained data show that the radioactive elements transported from soil to plants play an essential role as indicators for the nutritional needs of plant and the ability to accumulate radioisotopes and heavy metal elements for environmental decontamination. It is found that B. alba and C. gigantean is useful for decontamination of high content potassium in soil, otherwise, P. fruticosa and C. gigantean may be used for soil with high concentration of 210Pb and 226Ra. In addition, biological effects of the plant ingestion in human body were assessed. The doses due to ingestion of food crop samples varied from organ to organ, depending on the organotrophic properties of the radionuclides. For examples, equivalent dose for 40K in large intestine is higher than other organs. In contrast, equivalent dose for 238U, 226Ra, 210Pb and 232Th were mostly at bone surface. In general, the obtained dose values of lower than the average value recommended by UNSCEAR for food crop ingestion pose no threat to the public’s health. However, close investigations are needed in the near future.