Radioactivity concentration and transfer factors of natural radionuclides 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K from peat soil to vegetables in Selangor, Malaysia

Abstract

The activity concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides in vegetables and peat soil were investigated to determine the transfer factors of radionuclides from soil to vegetables obtained from farms in Klang Selangor. The results showed that the activity concentration ranges for 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K in the soil of the vegetable were 2.72-46.54 Bqkg-1, 9.01-54.84 Bqkg-1, and 19.22-477.76 Bqkg-1, respectively. The activity concentration ranges for 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K in various vegetable samples were 0.41-3.41 Bqkg-1, 0.02-3.56 Bqkg-1, and 16.22-317.49 Bqkg-1, respectively. The transfer factors from soil-to-plant for 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K were in the ranges of 0.01-0.67, 0.00-0.17, and 0.26-2.52, respectively. Radionuclide 40K has the highest transfer factor value in most vegetables, especially in the fruit type vegetable, and 232Th was found to have the lowest transfer factor value in all vegetables. The acquired results were compared to the levels that are globally recognized as acceptable. The transfer factor value of 40K was greater than 1 found in beans and fruit type vegetables, showing a similar value in other studies involving tropical plants, while transfer factor value for 226Ra was 15 times higher than the value reported in the data for tropical plants.