INTAKE OF RA-226, PB-2L0 AND PO-210 WITH FOOD IN POLAND

Intake with food and water of Ra-226, Pb-210, and Po-210 was determine d for an adult population in regions of central, northern and northeas tern Poland. The content of radionuclides was determined in the daily diet and, in the central region, also in foodstuffs and drinking water . The annual intake with foodstuffs was estimated on the basis of thei r average annual consumption. The Ra-226 intake in northeastern Poland was approximately 17% higher than the overall average, correlating we ll with the higher concentration of this radionuclide in the soil. The Po-210/Pb-210 ratio was close to unity in the continental regions, wh ereas at the Baltic Sea coast it was approximately 1.5. The latter val ue can be ascribed to a larger consumption of fish for which the Po-21 0/Pb-210 ratio was found to be approximately 10. In central Poland the largest intake of Ra-226 was with hour and vegetables (contribution a pprox. 60%), the largest intake of Pb-210 was with flour and meat (app rox. 50%) and the largest intake of Po-210 was with fish (approx. 34%) . From the intake and dose coefficient, annual effective doses were ca lculated. The dose from Pb-210 and Po-210 was approx. 54 mu Sv year(-1 ), and the dose from Ra-226 was approx. 4 mu Sv year(-1). (C) 1997 Els evier Science B.V.