Gamma Spectrometry Study of Radioactivity in Some Types of Teas on the Local Ivorian Market

Radioactivity is a natural phenomenon present in the environment in which we are permanently present. Thus, due to its presence in soil and water and its absorption by plants, radioactivity is found in foodstuffs such as tea. The latter comes from a tree, the tea plant, which is highly sensitive and vulnerable to climatic conditions. When infused, this tea drink, which is very common in Ivorian homes, is therefore likely to be a vector of radioactive contamination of the population. The objective of this work is to identify the presence of radionuclides in tea, evaluate their activity according to the duration of infusion and their impact on the health of consumers in order to develop a consumption methodology. During this study, six different brands of teas that are quite popular were collected on the local Ivorian market and infused in water. After analysis by the gamma spectrometry method, we were able to determine the specific activities of the radioelements detected in the brewed teas. The most abundant radioactive elements are Th232, U238, U235 and the activity values obtained are well below those recommended by UNSCEAR and the ICRP. These results tend to show that the Ivorian population is not at risk of consuming the tea within the preparation times recommended by the manufacturer, which are less than or equal to five (5) minutes.