Evaluation of radioactivity levels and radiological hazards of some endemic plants used as medicine in Ankara, Turkey.

In this study, natural radioactivity levels (226Ra, 232Th, and 4 K) of some medicinal plant samples with known anti-oxidative properties, which are frequently consumed by animals and humans, were obtained from Ankara province and its surroundings (Mamak, Kizilcahamam, Beypazari, Kahramankazan, and Polatli districts) were determined using a thallium-doped sodium iodide NaI(Tl) gamma spectrometry. By using the determined natural radioactivity concentrations in the collected plant samples, the number of radiological doses that people could be exposed by consuming these plants was calculated. As a result of the study, 226Ra, 232Th, and 4 K radioactivity concentration ranges of the plant samples were found be 14.69 ± 1.27-59.08 ± 3.12 Bq kg-1, 1.78 ± 0.04-50.05 ± 2.76 Bq kg-1 and 207.24 ± 34.09-826.13 ± 25.40 Bq kg-1, respectively. The highest 226Ra, 232Th, and 4 K activity concentrations were measured in Astragalus densifolius subsp. ayashensis (Kahramankazan), Astragalus kochakii (Kahramankazan) and Rumex patientia (Patience Dock) (Kahramankazan) plants, respectively. The lowest 226Ra, 232Th and,4 K activity concentration plants were determined respectively as Rumex patientia (Mamak), Lavandula angustifolia (Kizilcahamam), and Astragalus acikirensis (Polatli). The establishment and routine repetition of environmental radioactivity monitoring programs in each region are important for human and animal health, and the results of this study gain importance for Ankara and its surroundings in terms of environmental health.

Determination of natural radioactivity in products of animals fed with grass: A case study for Kars Region, Turkey.

In this research, the activity concentrations of 40 K, 232Th and 226Ra in 41 grass samples collected from Kars region, Turkey, were determined using gamma ray spectrometry. Natural radioactivity concentrations in animal food products were calculated based on activity concentrations of these radionuclides in pasture-grass samples and dry-grass consumption of animals. The average annual effective dose from these radionuclides for local consumers due to indirect ingestion of cow milk, sheep milk, poultry, mutton and beef consumption have been calculated as 9.01, 0.24, 1.76, 0.38 and 5.25 µSv y-1, respectively. Furthermore, the calculated average annual effective dose values for adults are within the values found in other countries worldwide. These results show that animal products can be safe for human consumption in terms of radiation exposure due to the natural radionuclides studied.