Radiation Dose to the Populace in Southern Peninsular India through Foodstuff

In an environment with the presence of elevated levels of primordial radionuclides, food is an important route by which radionuclides enter the body. The primary aim of the study was to estimate the dose characteristics received by typical members of the society with average food habits and living in the high background radiation area. The concentrations of ²²⁶Ra, ²³⁸U, ²²⁸Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K were determined in food crops, fish, drinking water and soil. Analyses of food samples were done using gamma ray spectrometry. The estimated total annual average effective dose due to the ingestion of ²³⁸U, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K in fruits, vegetables, cereals, pulses and fish was 0.57 ± 0.1 mSv/y based on the dietary habits of the population in the area.