Measurement of 238U, 228Ra, 226Ra, 40K and 137Cs in foodstuffs samples collected from coastal areas of China

This study represents a total of 245 samples collected. The activities of 238U, 228Ra, 226Ra, 40K and 137Cs were determined in samples of vegetables, tea, cereal (rice, wheat and corn), meat, poultry, freshwater product, seafood and seaweed that collected from the 30 km safety zone of the Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) area. All the samples radionuclide activities were quantified by using High Purity Germanium (HPGe) gamma spectrometry. The geometric mean concentrations (Bq kg−1 wet weight) for 238U, 228Ra, 226Ra, 40K, and 137Cs in all investigated foodstuffs samples, are 0.13, 0.16, 0.11, 68 and 0.02, respectively. The arithmetic mean concentrations (Bq kg−1 wet weight) for 238U, 228Ra, 226Ra, 40K, and 137Cs in all investigated foodstuffs samples, are 0.34, 0.65, 0.32, 111 and 0.09, respectively. Results of this study were compared with others, the measured values are the same with those of a previous investigation. Radiation doses due to the consumption of these foodstuffs to humans are estimated to comprise around 37-46% of the annual dose limit for public.