Radionuclide Assessment in Imported Powdered Infant Milk Consumed in Algeria and Radiation Hazard Indices

Abstract

The radioactivity concentration in powdered infant milk consumed in Algeria, mainly imported from different countries, some of which had suffered from the propagation of the radiation effect after explosions of nuclear reactors, was evaluated. Milk samples were analyzed using a conducted NaI(Tl) 2×2 well detector (Canberra) and a γ-ray spectrometer using GENIE 2000 software. Twelve samples from different producers and countries were examined, and the average values of their activity concentrations were 1.19 ± 0.81, 1.45 ± 0.96, 18.07 ± 3.42, and 0.18 ± 0.06 Bq kg–1 for 226Ra 232Th, 40K, and 137Cs, respectively. The average total effective total dose due to the annual ingestion of the above four radionuclides from the ingestion of imported milk powder for infants of age under one year was estimated at 153.16 ± 7.66, 48.05 ± 2.40, 15.92 ± 0.80, and 0.030 ± 0.0015 μSv year–1. For one-year-old infants, the values were 38.69 ± 1.93, 20.27 ± 1.01, 19.29 ± 0.96, and 0.049 ± 0.0024 μSv year–1. These values are significantly lower than the international authorization value. Thus, these imported brands of powdered milk can be consumed safely and without any restrictions.