Concentrations of 238U and 232Th in foodstuffs and radiation dose to a rural Moroccan population

Uranium (238U) and thorium (232Th) contents were measured in different foods widely consumed by the rural Moroccan population by using two different types of solid state nuclear track detectors (SSNTDs). The method utilized is based on determining the probabilities for α-particles emitted by the uranium and thorium series inside the studied materials to reach and be registered on the CR-39 and LR-115 type II SSNTDs and counting the resulting track densities. Total daily intakes of 238U and 232Th for a typical food basket were estimated to be 1.27 Bq d−1 and 0.95 Bq d−1, 1.55 Bq d−1 and 1.18 Bq d−1 and 2.01 Bq d−1 and 1.52 Bq d−1 for the 7–12 y, 12–17 y and adults age groups, respectively. Annual committed equivalent doses were evaluated in the human body compartments of members of the Moroccan rural population due to 238U and 232Th from the ingestion of the studied food materials by using the ICRP ingestion dose coefficients. Annual committed effective dose due to 238U and 232Th intakes were found to be 3.16 × 10−5 Sv and 10.10 × 10−5 Sv, 3.81 × 10−5 Sv and 10.80 ×  10−5 Sv and 3.32 × 10−5 Sv and 12.80 × 10−5 Sv for the 7–12 y, 12–17 y and adults age groups, respectively.