Assessment of U-238, Th-232, and K-40 in commonly consumed Bangladeshi fruits and age-dependent annual effective dose in Dhaka city, Bangladesh

Abstract

Radionuclides in consumed food pose potential health risks via internal exposure. Fruits may accumulate radioactive isotopes via root uptake or atmospheric deposition. Previous Bangladeshi fruit studies are scarce and lack age-dependent annual ingestion dose data. This study assesses radionuclide concentrations in common Bangladeshi fruits and estimates age-dependent annual ingestion doses in Dhaka City. Thirteen fruit samples from Dhaka markets were analyzed using High-Purity Germanium (HPGe) gamma spectrometry. Using secondary data, we estimated age-stratified average fruit consumption and annual ingestion doses for infants (0-5 years), children (6-15 years), and adults (16-70 years). Activities of U-238, Th-238, and K-40 ranged from 1.23 ± 0.63 Bq/kg to 8.28 ± 0.65 Bq/kg, BDL to 6.01 ± 0.66 Bq/kg, and 30.62 ± 1.88 Bq/kg to 227.7 ± 11.14 Bq/kg, respectively. Mean concentrations were 3.62 ± 0.67 Bq/kg, 2.33 ± 0.48 Bq/kg, and 80.98 ± 18.26 Bq/kg for U-238, Th-238, and K-40, respectively. The annual effective dose from fruit ingestion was 0.0502 mSv/y, 0.0569 mSv/y, and 0.0673 mSv/y for adults, children, and infants, respectively. All values were below the international safety limit. This study provides reassurance regarding the radiological safety of fruits in Bangladesh. However, continuous monitoring is essential to ensure safety and prevent future contamination risks. Further studies and up-to-date data, like age-dependent fruit consumption, are necessary for more accurate findings.