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Isotopes of 210Po and 210Pb in Hazel Bolete (Leccinellum pseudoscabrum) – Bioconcentration, Distribution and Related Dose Assessment

Summary

This research examined the levels of naturally occurring radioactive materials (210Po and 210Pb) in hazel bolete mushrooms collected from Polish forests. The study found that these mushrooms do not significantly concentrate these radioactive elements from soil, and consuming them poses minimal radiation risk to humans. Impact on everyday life: – Confirms the radiological safety of consuming wild mushrooms – Provides data for environmental monitoring and food safety assessment – Helps understand how mushrooms interact with radioactive elements in soil – Contributes to knowledge about natural radiation exposure through diet

Background

The studied isotopes of 210Po (highly radiotoxic alpha emitter) and 210Pb (beta emitter) are widely present in the environment as naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM), both being daughters of uranium 238U. Their occurrence in the atmosphere results from 222Rn decay diffusing from the ground. Food and aspirated aerosols are the main sources of these isotopes in humans, with their physical and chemical properties and radiotoxicity leading to significant contribution to overall radiation dose from foodstuffs.

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the 210Po and 210Pb content in hazel bolete mushrooms and soil, assess their bioconcentration potential and distribution in fruit bodies, and evaluate possible hazards of exposure to human consumers.

Results

The 210Po radioactivity in caps and stems ranged from 0.74-8.59 Bq kg−1 and 0.81-8.23 Bq kg−1 dry biomass respectively. The 210Pb radioactivity ranged from 0.61-6.33 Bq kg−1 and 0.83-4.59 Bq kg−1 dry biomass in caps and stems. BCF values were below unity (< 1) for both isotopes, indicating weak bioconcentration. DR values ranged from 0.17-4.79 for 210Po and 0.27-5.34 for 210Pb.

Conclusion

The study found that 210Po and 210Pb are weakly bioconcentrated by hazel bolete mushrooms. The low activity levels in forest topsoil combined with low BCF values resulted in low activity levels in the mushroom fruit bodies. Consumption of these mushrooms could lead to effective doses of 0.89-9.18 μSv kg−1 from 210Po and 0.42-4.37 μSv kg−1 from 210Pb decay, which are considered radiologically safe.
  • Published in:Environmental Science and Pollution Research International,
  • Study Type:Environmental Research Study,
  • Source: 10.1007/s11356-019-05376-8
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