Uranium toxicity levels in wild plant and grain product samples from Chamba district, NW-Himalaya, Himachal Pradesh, India

Uranium contents from the 21 random sampling sites from the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh have been reported in this paper. The authors have collected 21 soil samples, 15 samples of 4 different plant species, and 30 samples of grains (maize, wheat, barley, and beans). The collected samples were decomposed by using the acidic mixture of HNO₃ and HClO₄; thereafter, the uranium concentration (U) in different samples was analyzed by instruments APHA-3125B . The uranium in soil samples was found to vary from 2.64 ppb to 18.47 ppb with an average of 8.29 ppb. Maximum average value of uranium concentration has been found in grass (Poaceae) > nettle plant (Urtica) > pine (Pinus) > oak (Grewia robusta) > wheat (Triticum) > beans (Phaseolus) > barley (Hordeum vulgare) and minimum in the maize grain (Zea mays). This study may help check the natural radioactivity dose intake of residents of the area. The study provides an overview of the doses taken by the residents of the study area. The findings of the study, along with similar works, may help create a radiation hazard map for a particular area related to eatables.