Radioactivity in food crops from the family farms in Croatia with ingestion dose assessment

Abstract

The results of radioactivity measurements and transfer factor calculations of natural and anthropogenic radionuclides in various food crops from family farms in Croatia are presented. Measurements were performed using gamma spectrometry for 40K, 137Cs, 210Pb, 226,228Ra and 228Th, liquid scintillation counting for 90Sr and alpha spectrometry for 210Po. The activity concentrations were used to determine the annual ingestion dose for one – year – olds, ten – year – olds and adults, calculated to be 0.533, 0.666 and 0.348 mSv, respectively. 70% of the dose comes from 228Ra and 40K. Other significant contributors are 226Ra, 210Pb and 210Po. Contribution per foodstuff groups for one – year – olds as the most sensitive group in descending order is: cereals > leafy vegetables > fruits > non–leafy vegetables > tubers > roots vegetables > herbs ≫ nuts. All results are in line with worldwide studies and below the limit of 1 mSv/y.