Natural and Anthropogenic Radionuclides Concentration and Risk Assessment in Legumes and Grains, which Provides in a Basket Foodstuffs in Iraq Country

Year 2025, Volume: 10 Issue: 1, 1 - 13, 01.04.2025

Abdul-jabbar Abbas Oudh Mohammed Jawad H. Kadhim Abdul Kareem Abdul-hussein Zainab Al-khafaji

https://doi.org/10.28978/nesciences.1482014

Abstract

The present work studied the amount of natural and anthropogenic radioactivity in 13 different imported legumes and grain specimens of various origins, which are part of the basket of foodstuffs provided by the government to the Iraqi people. These specimens were analyzed using Canberra's sodium iodide NaI (TI) detector gamma spectrometer systems. The data gained revealed that the activity amounts (Bq/kg) for 214Bi, 137Cs, 40K (238U series), and 228Ac (232Th series) in all selected specimens were measured. Importantly, these investigated magnitudes are well within the international standards for radioactivity in foodstuffs, ensuring the safety of the food consumed by the Iraqi people. The mean radium equivalent activity (Raeq) in each specimen has been consistently below the 370 Bq/kg threshold. Each magnitude regarding indoor and outdoor yearly effective dosage corresponding for all specimens has been significantly lower than the international typical magnitudes (0.45 mSv/y concerning indoor as well as 0.07 mSv/y regarding outdoor). The subsequent radiological effects illustrate that the mean magnitude of annual total air absorbed rate dosage in these specimens is well below the limit of (1.0 mSv/y) based on the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP).

Keywords

Legumes specimens, basket foodstuff, sodium iodine NaI (TI), anthropogenic radioactivity

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