Selected natural and fallout radionuclides in plant foods around the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project, India

The activity concentrations of certain radionuclides were quantified in some plant foods cultivated around Kudankulam, where a mega-nuclear power plant is being established. The activity concentrations were found more in the ‘pulses’ group and were the lowest in ‘other vegetable’ category. The annua...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of environmental radioactivity 2013-01, Vol.115, p.201-206
Main Authors: Ross, E. Mahiban, Raj, Y. Lenin, Wesley, S. Godwin, Rajan, M.P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Background Radiation
Baseline
Biological and medical sciences
Child
Child, Preschool
Dose
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics
Exact sciences and technology
Food Contamination, Radioactive - analysis
Food industries
food intake
Food toxicology
foods
fruits
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
grains
green leafy vegetables
Humans
India
Infant
Infant, Newborn
nuclear power
nuts
Plants, Edible - chemistry
Pollution, environment geology
Potassium Radioisotopes - analysis
Power Plants
Pulses
Ra-226
Ra-228
Radiation Dosage
Radiation Monitoring
Radioactive Fallout
radionuclides
Radium - analysis
roots
tubers
Young Adult
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The activity concentrations of certain radionuclides were quantified in some plant foods cultivated around Kudankulam, where a mega-nuclear power plant is being established. The activity concentrations were found more in the ‘pulses’ group and were the lowest in ‘other vegetable’ category. The annual effective dose was computed based on the activity concentration of radionuclides and it was found to be higher due to the consumption of cereals and pulses. Other vegetables, cereals, pulses and nuts recorded high transfer factors for the radionuclide 228Ra. Fruits, leafy vegetables, tubers and roots, and palm embryo registered high transfer factors for 226Ra. Group-wise activity concentration, radiation dose to the public and soil-plant-to-transfer factor are discussed in detail. [Display omitted] ► Fallout radionuclides (90Sr and 137Cs) were below the limit of detection. ► 228Ra activities were higher than 226Ra activity concentrations. ► ‘Pulses’ group (leguminous grains) was the highest accumulator of radium nuclides. ► 228Ra transfer factor was higher in few groups while 226Ra was higher in others.
ISSN:0265-931X
1879-1700
DOI:10.1016/j.jenvrad.2012.08.010