Radiological hazard assessment of radon gas in vegetable and fruit samples using solid state nuclear track detectors

This study examines the concentrations of radon, radium, and uranium, along with the annual effective dose and excess lifetime cancer risk due to ingestion of radon in vegetable and fruit samples collected randomly from eleven sites in the Ranya district, Iraq. The solid state nuclear track detector CR-39 was used to monitor radon levels and their progeny. The findings demonstrate that the average concentrations of radon, radium, and uranium in vegetable and fruit samples were 91.05 Bq m^-3, 0.26 Bq kg^-1, and 0.06 ppm, respectively. These results were lower than the global average recommended by ICRP and UNSCEAR. Additionally, the average values of annual effective dose and excess lifetime cancer risk were 0.02 µSv y^-1 and 0.08 × 10^-6, respectively. These results comply with internationally recommended safe levels for human consumption. Further research is recommended to evaluate the transfer of radionuclides from soil to edible crops.