Potential Radiological Impact of Consumption of Fluted Pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis) Cultivated in Southeast Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3923/pjn.2016.461.464Keywords:
Fluted pumpkin, Nigeria, radioactivity, radiological impact, vegetablesAbstract
The radionuclides present in Fluted Pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis) cultivated and consumed in Southeast Nigeria were assessed and their activity concentration determined to assess the potential radiological impact of consumption of the vegetable as part of the daily diet. The radioactivity concentration of 238U, 232Th and 40K in the vegetable samples were ranging from 18.06±6.00 to 43.08±9.07 Bq/kg for 238U (mean = 28.68±3.62 Bq/kg), 13.41±3.01 to 17.79±3.68 Bq/kg for 232Th (mean = 15.41±1.62 Bq/kg) and 219.13±10.64 to 354.04±10.15 Bq/kg for 40K (mean = 251.84±8.07 Bq/kg). There was no anthropogenic radionuclide detected. The annual intake of 238U and 232Th from consumption of Fluted Pumpkin in the locality under study was range from 3.6-8.6 Bq/yr (mean = 5.7 Bq/yr) and 2.7-3.6 Bq/yr (mean = 3.1 Bq/yr). The committed effective dose was 0.25 μSv for 238U and 0.71 μSv for 232Th. The consumption of Fluted Pumpkin can lead to enhanced dietary intakes of thorium series radionuclide when considered against the intakes from other food materials.
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