Radiolead ²¹⁰Pb and ²¹⁰Po/²¹⁰Pb activity ratios in calcium supplements and the assessment of their possible dose to consumers

ABSTRACT

This paper presents the results of pioneer study of the most popular calcium supplements as a potential additional source of radiolead ²¹⁰Pb in human diet. The analyzed calcium pharmaceutics contained organic or inorganic calcium compounds; some came from natural sources as mussels' shells, fish extracts, or sedimentary rocks. The idea was to investigate the naturally occurring ²¹⁰Pb activity in different calcium supplements and calculate the annual effective radiation dose from radiolead ²¹⁰Pb decay in consumed calcium supplement. The results showed ²¹⁰Pb concentrations in natural origin calcium supplements (especially sedimentary rocks) were significantly higher. The highest ²¹⁰Pb activity concentrations were determined in mineral tablets made from dolomite – 2.97 ± 0.18 mBq g⁻¹, while the lowest was observed in organic calcium compounds – both calcium lactate – 0.08 ± 0.01 and 0.13 ± 0.01 mBq g⁻¹. The highest annual radiation dose from ²¹⁰Pb taken with 1 tablet of calcium supplement per day was calculated for soluble calcium lactate sample – 1.19 ± 0.03 µSv year⁻¹, while the highest annual radiation dose from ²¹⁰Pb taken daily with 1 g of pure Ca for dolomite – 5.57 ± 0.34 µSv year⁻¹.

KEYWORDS:

• Radiolead ²¹⁰Pb
• ²¹⁰Po/²¹⁰Pb activity ratios
• calcium
• supplement
• effective radiation dose

Funding

The author would like to thank the Ministry of Sciences and Higher Education for the financial support of this work under grant: DS/ 530-8630-D505-16.