Activity Concentrations of Natural Radionuclides in Foodstuffs From Iraqi Markets and Their Associated Ingestion Dose by Different Age Groups

Abstract In the present study, the activity concentrations of the radionuclides 238U, 232Th, and 40K were determined in four groups of foodstuffs (meat, grains, vegetables, and fruits) commonly consumed by the Iraqi population. The assessment was conducted for three age groups: infants, children, and adults. Food samples were collected from local markets in Iraq and analyzed using gamma-ray spectrometry. The annual effective dose (AED) and excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) resulting from the ingestion of 238U, 232Th, and 40K were calculated for each age group. The mean activity concentrations (Bq·kg−1) of 238U, 232Th, and 40K in meat samples were 0.49±0.16, 0.77 ± 0.43, and 0.43 ± 0.17, respectively. For grain samples, the corresponding values were 0.44 ± 0.18, 0.47 ± 0.13, and 0.42 ± 0.17, respectively. In vegetable samples, the mean activity concentrations were 0.26 ± 0.14, 1.41 ± 0.48, and 0.61 ± 0.23, respectively, while fruit samples exhibited mean values of 0.10 ± 0.008, 0.61 ± 0.06, and 0.63 ± 0.09, respectively. The average total AED (mSv yr−1) from all analyzed food samples was 0.31 for infants, 0.22 for children, and 0.19 for adults. In addition, the average ELCR values (×10−3) for infants, children, and adults were 1.09, 0.69, and 0.68, respectively. Comparison of the estimated AED values with internationally recommended public exposure reference levels indicates that dietary intake of the investigated foodstuffs does not pose a significant radiological health concern for any age group.