Internal Radiation Dose from 137Cs Due to the Consumption of Mushrooms from a Mexican Temperate Mixed Forest

Authors:
  • MGM.I. Gaso
    M.I. Gaso
  • NSN. Segovia
    N. Segovia
  • MCM.L. Cervantes
    M.L. Cervantes
  • THT. Herrera
    T. Herrera
  • EPE. Perez-Silva
    E. Perez-Silva
  • EAE. Acosta
    E. Acosta
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Abstract
137Cs and 40K specific activities were determined in soil samples and in different edible wild mushroom species collected from a temperate mixed forest located at the Nuclear Centre of Mexico and in several surrounding localities. The activity measurements were performed using HpGe detector. The aggregated transfer factors for 137Cs in 21 local mushroom species collected from 1993 to 1997, showed differences as large as 3 orders of magnitude. The annual effective dose from 137Cs due to the consumption of mushrooms was estimated to range between 0.22 and 1.2 µSv.y-1 depending on the method used for calculation. Using the geometric mean of the caesium concentration, the contribution of mushrooms represents 56% of the total 137Cs dietary intake.