Alpha-emitting radioisotopes are the most toxic among all radionuclides. In particular, medium to long-lived isotopes of the heavier metals are of the greatest concern to human health and radiological safety. This review focuses on the most common alpha-emitting radionuclides of natural and anthropogenic origin in wild mushrooms from around the world. Mushrooms bio-accumulate a range of mineral ionic constituents and radioactive elements to different extents, and are therefore considered as suitable bio-indicators of environmental pollution. The available literature indicates that the natural radionuclide 210Po is accumulated at the highest levels (up to 22 kBq/kg dry weight (dw) in wild mushrooms from Finland), while among synthetic nuclides, the highest levels of up to 53.8 Bq/kg dw of 239+240Pu were reported in Ukrainian mushrooms. The capacity to retain the activity of individual nuclides varies between mushrooms, which is of particular interest for edible species that are consumed either locally or, in some cases, also traded on an international scale. The effective radiation dose from the ingestion of this food can reportedly range from 0.033 µSv/kg dw to 26.8 mSv/kg and varies depending on the country. Following pollution events, such consumption may expose consumers to highly radiotoxic decay particles produced by alpha emitters.

https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/21/8220/pdf

A Review of the Occurrence of Alpha-Emitting Radionuclides in Wild Mushrooms.

Uranium, Thorium, Potassium, and Cesium Radionuclides Concentrations in Desert Truffles from the Governorate of Samawah in Southern Iraq.

The activity concentration of natural (238U, 232Th, and 40K) and artificial (137Cs) radionuclides was determined in 50 samples (obtained from the same station) from various species of mushrooms and...

Interpolated mapping and investigation of environmental radioactivity levels in soils and mushrooms in the Middle Black Sea Region of Turkey

In this study, radioactivity and heavy metals accumulations in Agaricus campestris mushroom collected from Kahramanmaras and Erzurum provinces was determined. HPGe gamma detector was used for the determination of radioactivity concentrations. Heavy metal content was measured using a ICP-MS. As radioactive element; natural (238U, 232Th 40K) and artificial radionuclide (137Cs) concentrations were determined. The values of the committed effective dose were calculated. Same measurements were made in soils. Absorbed dose and excess lifetime cancer risk were calculated. Amount of Mg, Al, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Cd, Pb206, Pb207 and Pb208 as heavy metals of mushrooms were determined. 238U, 232Th, 40K activity concentrations of mushroom collected from Erzurum was determined as 12.1 ± 0.8, 11.7 ± 0.9, 497.7 ± 17.8 Bq/kg, respectively and 137Cs was not detected by system. 232Th and 40K activity concentrations of mushroom collected from Kahramanmaras was determined as 13.4 ± 0.5, 134.9 ± 6.3 Bq/kg, respectively, 238U and 137Cs was not detected by system similarly. The value of the committed effective dose collected from Erzurum and Kahramanmaras were calculated as 75 and 29 μSv respectively and these values were found lower than 290 μSv accepted as world average. Absorbed dose and risk of lifetime cancer for Erzurum was determined as 37.39 nGy/h, 16.5 x 10-5; absorbed dose and excess lifetime cancer risk for Kahramanmaras was determined as 30.92 nGy/h, 13.3 x 10-5 respectively. Amount of daily intake for each heavy metal was calculated. Radionuclide activity concentrations and accumulations of heavy metal were not founded threaten level to healthy, except from arsenic As (0.025 and 0.039 mg/kg) in mushroom collected from both provinces. They were found a bit higher than upper limit (0.015 mg/kg) in report which is prepared World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) jointly.

http://www.agrifoodscience.org/index.php/TURJAF/article/download/596/279

Determination of Heavy Metal and Radioactivity in Agaricus campestris Mushroom Collected from Kahramanmaraş and Erzurum Proviences

Background: In this study, environmental gamma radiation dose rates were measured in the area of Shahbag Thana under Dhaka city, Bangladesh. Aim of the study: This kind of study is required to detect the presence of natural and artificial radionuclides (if any) releasing from nuclear facilities in the country or from neighbouring countries. Materials and Method: The measurement was performed using a digital portable Gamma-Scout detector. The digital portable Gamma-Scout detector was placed at 1 meter above the ground on tripod and data acquisition time for each monitoring point (MP) was 1 hour. Total 27 MPs were selected for collection of gamma-ray dose rate in the outdoor environment of Shahbag Thana. The measurements were performed during light day from January to September 2017. The MPs were marked-out using Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation. The GP Sreading of the sampling locations were varied from E: 90 ̊23'32.94\" to E: 90 ̊24'31.32\" and from N:23 ̊44'19.38\" to N: 23 ̊43'24.3\". Results: The measured dose rates due to natural radionuclides were ranged from 0.085 ± 0.0245μSv.h -1 to 0.190526 ± 0.081886 μSv.h -1 with an average of 0.145265 ± 0.025192 μSv.h -1 .The annual effective dose to the population from outdoor environmental gamma radiation was varied from0.104244 ± 0.030041 mSv to 0.233661085 ± 0.100425 mSv. The range of dose rate and annual effective dosedue to outdoor environmental gamma radiation is lower than some countries like India, Sweden, China, CzechRepublic, Italy and higher than Canada, Turkey, Indonesia, Belgium, Albania, New Zealand and some other counties. Conclusion: From this study, it was observed that there is no burden of population exposure due to man-made sources. Therefore, it can be concluded that adequate safety and radiation protection of radiological facilities had been ensured which is required for minimizing of unnecessary exposure to populations from man-made sources. The estimated mean annual effective dose found in this study is not expected to contribute significant additional hazard from the radiological health point of view.

/pdf/real-time-environmental-gamma-dose-rates-measurement-and-4l94zurcm3.pdf

Real-Time Environmental Gamma Dose Rates Measurement and Evaluation of Annual Effective Dose to population of Shahbag Thana, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Activity concentrations of primordial radionuclides such as 40 K, 226 Ra and 232 Th were determined in edible mushrooms samples in Ekiti State Nigeria. The edible mushrooms collected are Termitomyces striatus, Psathyrella atroumbonata, Termitomyces robustus, Pleurotus tuber-regium and Pleurotus squarrosulus. The activity measurements were carried out by gamma spectrometry. The average concentrations of 40 K varied from 254.17 ± 46.78 to 416.07 ± 68.43 Bq∙kg −1 , 226 Ra concentrations varied from 2.68 ± 0.82 to 21.64 ± 7.23 Bq∙kg−1 and 232Th concentrations varied from 8.57 ± 3.25 to 10.98 ± 4.31 Bq∙kg−1. The concentrations were converted to effective dose. Effective doses calculated were found to be below maximum permissible levels. Therefore, no health risk is envisaged for those that normally consumed these mushrooms.

/pdf/accumulation-of-natural-radionuclides-by-some-edible-wild-2q28yuzzvy.pdf

Accumulation of Natural Radionuclides by Some Edible Wild Mushrooms in Ekiti State, Southwestern, Nigeria

/pdf/human-internal-exposure-due-to-radionuclides-levels-in-351rlfimn4.pdf

M. J. Ayeni

Papers

Accumulation of Natural Radionuclides by Some Edible Wild Mushrooms in Ekiti State, Southwestern, Nigeria

Human Internal Exposure Due to Radionuclides Levels in Foodstuffs Grown Using Fertilizer in Jos Nigeria