Dietary intakes of Sr, Cs, ²³²Th and ²³⁸U in north Ukraine, polluted by the Chernobyl accident

Abstract

Within the framework of a comprehensive study on trace element intakes of Ukrainian residents after the Chernobyl accident, an investigation was made for Cs, Sr, ²³²Th and ²³⁸U with respect to radiation exposure from released radionuclides. From 1997 to 2001, the north part of Ukraine had median daily dietary intakes of Sr, Cs, ²³²Th and ²³⁸U which were 1.9mg, 6.3μg, 0.53μg and 0.58μg per person, respectively. Intakes of Sr and Cs were about same as the global averages, while those of ²³²Th and ²³⁸U were about half the global averages. The variation of Cs intake among districts may indicate that high ¹³⁷Cs exposure was accompanied by high Cs intake.