Natural and Fallout Gamma-activity in Foodstuffs

Journal Article · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1962 · Health Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1097/00004032-196201000-00003· OSTI ID:4811045

Chhabra, A. S.; Hukkoo, R. K.

A study was undertaken to estimate the actual concentration of gamma - active isotopes in vegetables, tea, tobacco, powdered milk, wheat, rice, fish, etc., which are available in Bombay, India. A large-size NaI(Tl) crystal scintillator and a thirty-channel pulse-height analyser were used to identify and to estimate the concentration of the radioisotopes. The studies were carried out over a period of about 15 months, during the year following the stoppage of nuclear weapon tests (in October 1958), the month before the French atomic weapon test in Sahara desert on February 13, 1960, and the month after the French test. In addition to the presence of natural radioactivity of K⁴⁰ fission product activities such as Zr⁹⁵-Nb⁹⁵, Ru¹⁰³, I¹³¹ Cs¹³⁷ , Ba¹⁴⁰-La¹⁴⁰,Ce¹⁴¹, and Ce¹⁴⁴ were noticed, but in varying amounts in different materials. The very high activities of Zr⁹⁵-Nb⁹⁵ and Ce¹⁴⁴ in tea were found to be chemically bound in its leaves preventing this uptake by human beings. The presence of Zr⁹⁵-Nb⁹⁵ in carrots suggests its preferential pick up through the roots. The radioisotope Zn⁶⁵ was detected in fish and prawns. The analysis of certain vegetables during the month following the French test clearly indicated the presence of short-lived fission products which should have originated in the test. The degree of contamination is found to depend upon the total surface offered to the fallout and its roughness to hold the activity.

• Research Organization: Atomic Energy Establishment, Trombay, India
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-16-009836
• OSTI ID: 4811045
• Journal Information: Health Physics, Journal Name: Health Physics Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 7; ISSN 0017-9078
• Publisher: Health Physics Society
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ATOMIC EXPLOSIONS
BARIUM 140
CEREALS
CERIUM 141
CERIUM 144
CESIUM 137
CONTAMINATION
CRYSTAL COUNTERS
FALLOUT
FISH
FISSION PRODUCTS
FOOD
GAMMA RADIATION
INDIA
INSTRUMENTS
IODINE 131
LANTHANUM 140
MEASURED VALUES
MILK
NIOBIUM 95
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
PLANTS
POTASSIUM 40
PULSE ANALYZERS
QUANTITY RATIO
RADIOACTIVITY
RADIOISOTOPES
ROOTS
RUTHENIUM 103
SCINTILLATION COUNTERS
SODIUM IODIDES
TEA
VEGETABLES
ZIRCONIUM 95