Determination of natural and artificial radionuclide materials in the Ma’assel used in hubbly-bubbly (Shisha) in Jordan

Abstract

In the last decade the habit of smoking the hubbly-bubbly has increased sharply in many regions, including Europe, North America and Australia. Jordan is considered as having one of the highest consumptions of hubbly-bubbly in the world with respect to the general population. Our investigation was initiated due to the increasing trend of cancer cases in the last 10 years. The aim of this study was to determine the radioactive content in tobacco products available in the Jordanian market together with the related supplies. This study showed that all 13 samples investigated contained one or more radionuclides, from ²¹⁰Pb, ⁴⁰K, ¹³⁷Cs, ²³⁸U, and ²²⁶Ra. Most of the samples contained natural potassium ⁴⁰K and uranium ²³⁸U, lead ²¹⁰Pb was found in three samples, while radium ²²⁶Ra was present only in one sample. Five samples contained the anthropogenic ¹³⁷Cs. The estimated daily intake of U was found in the range between 4.4 and 115.8 µg per day (0.05–1.43 Becquerel (Bq) per day ²³⁸U), with geometric mean of 17.3 µg per day (0.2 Bq per day ²³⁸U). The geometric mean of U daily intake found represents 25% of the reference dose (RfD) value, where the highest determined U content represents 165% of the RfD value. This study demonstrated that a water vessel of hubbly-bubbly trapped less than 1.5% of the total U in Ma’assel samples. It is misleading to the public to indicate that a water vessel serves as an active filter for toxic and radiotoxic elements.

Keywords:

• hubbly-bubbly
• tobacco
• uranium
• radioactive materials and intake

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank medical student Tareq Al-Hammouri for his interest and assistance in the procurement of Ma’assel samples.