EVALUATION OF CS-137 ACTIVITY IN PLANT DRUGS AND IN SOME PHYTODERIVATIVES FROM CHERNOBYL ACCIDENT UP TO PRESENT (1986-1994)

The accident to the nuclear power plant of Chernobyl (in April 1986) c aused a radioactive contamination in large areas of the majority of Eu ropean countries. During the first transient time the fall-out phenome non was the most important method of contamination, particularly from I-131 whose relative isotopic abundance with respect to other released radionuclides was very high. Thereafter, Cs-137, owing to its long ha lf-time and its large presence in environmental matrixes and so in the food chain, became the element on which the attention was to be focus ed. Plant drugs and their derivatives are, at present, of very large a limentary consumption among people. This can cause some problems to hu man health, so the authors have studied (from 1986 to 1994) the activi ty of Cs-137 in a large number of drugs (about 5000) and in some indus trial and home-made officinal products. Some suggestions on the Cs+, K + ions competition in soil can also be derived. (C) 1995 The Italian P harmacological Society