Radioactivity and heavy metal concentrations in food samples from Rize, Turkey

BACKGROUND: Rize in Turkey was contaminated by the Chernobyl accident in 1986. A comprehensive study was planned and carried out to determine the radioactivity levels and heavy metal concentrations in four food categories collected in Rize in 2008, 2009 and 2010. RESULTS: Tomato showed the highest concentration of ²³⁸U, at 9.43 ± 0.128 Bq kg^?1, whereas the lowest concentration of 0.20 ± 0.02 Bq kg^?1 was measured in aubergine samples. The highest concentration of ²³²Th was measured at 3.22 ± 0.29 Bq kg^?1 in grape samples. ⁴⁰K was found to contribute the highest activity in all the food samples. The highest activity concentration of ¹³⁷Cs was 10.20 ± 4.19 Bq kg^?1, for parsley. The average contribution range of each of the heavy metals to the dietary intake was 0.13–9.14, 0.27–34.63, 0.05–3.62, 0.11–14.97, 0.78–8.51 and 0.01–1.57 mg, respectively, for Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ni and As. CONCLUSION: The range of radioactivity levels in food samples of the present study is of no risk to public health. Heavy metal concentrations of Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ni and As obtained were far below the established values by FAO/WHO limits. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry