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Radioactivity and heavy metal concentrations in food samples from Rize, Turkey
Author(s) -
Görür Filiz Korkmaz,
Keser Recep,
Akçay Nilay,
Dizman Serdar,
As Nilüfer,
Okumuşoğlu Nazmi Turan
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.4576
Subject(s) - heavy metals , chemistry , metal , zoology , environmental chemistry , biology , organic chemistry
BACKGROUND: Rize in Turkey was contaminated by the Chernobyl accident in 1986. A comprehensive study was planned and carried out to determine the radioactivity levels and heavy metal concentrations in four food categories collected in Rize in 2008, 2009 and 2010. RESULTS: Tomato showed the highest concentration of 238 U, at 9.43 ± 0.128 Bq kg −1 , whereas the lowest concentration of 0.20 ± 0.02 Bq kg −1 was measured in aubergine samples. The highest concentration of 232 Th was measured at 3.22 ± 0.29 Bq kg −1 in grape samples. 40 K was found to contribute the highest activity in all the food samples. The highest activity concentration of 137 Cs was 10.20 ± 4.19 Bq kg −1 , for parsley. The average contribution range of each of the heavy metals to the dietary intake was 0.13–9.14, 0.27–34.63, 0.05–3.62, 0.11–14.97, 0.78–8.51 and 0.01–1.57 mg, respectively, for Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ni and As. CONCLUSION: The range of radioactivity levels in food samples of the present study is of no risk to public health. Heavy metal concentrations of Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ni and As obtained were far below the established values by FAO/WHO limits. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry