Radiation dose assessment from ingestion pathway in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Levels of radioactivities in foodstuffs in the local market have been measured for the period from November 1987 until end of June 1988. Out of the 674 samples analyzed there were 83 milk powder, 85 infant milk powder, 54 infant cereals, 89 meat, 16 lentils, 14 wheat, and 26 macaroni samples. The average radioactivity concentration of ¹³⁷Cs and ¹³⁴Cs, in these samples in Bq/kg were 19, 13, 18, 6, 10, 25 and 13 respectively. The rest adults and infant foodstuffs had negligible radioactivity levels. The calculated annual doses from ingestion pathway due to ¹³⁷Cs and ¹³⁴Cs for adults were 3.13 × 10⁻5 Sv and 2.1 × 10⁻⁵ Sv while for one year old infant they were 12 ×10⁻⁵ Sv and 8 × 10⁻⁵ Sv respectively. The estimated accumulated dose for 50 years from ⁹⁰Sr due to one year food ingestion for adults and one year old infants were 3.76 × 10⁻5 Sv and 5.2 × 10⁻⁵ Sv respectively.

Key words:

• Radiation dose
• Radioactivity Contamination
• Chernobyl Accident
• Food Contamination