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Radiation dose from cigarette tobacco.

C Papastefanou¹

¹Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Atomic and Nuclear Physics Laboratory, Thessaloniki 54124, Greece. papastefanou@physics.auth.gr

Radiation Protection Dosimetry

|April 4, 2006

Summary

This study measured radioactivity in Greek tobacco, finding natural radionuclides like radium and lead contribute to smoker effective dose. Chernobyl

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Area of Science:

Environmental Radioactivity
Public Health
Radiological Protection

Background:

Tobacco cultivation and processing can concentrate naturally occurring and man-made radionuclides.
Understanding radionuclide levels in tobacco is crucial for assessing potential health risks to smokers.

Purpose of the Study:

To quantify the radioactivity of naturally occurring primordial radionuclides (226Ra, 210Pb, 228Ra) and man-made radionuclides (137Cs) in Greek tobacco leaves.
To estimate the annual effective dose to adult smokers from these radionuclides.

Main Methods:

Collection of tobacco samples from 15 regions in Greece prior to cigarette production.
High-resolution, high-efficiency gamma-ray spectrometry using Ge planar and coaxial detectors.

Main Results:

Average annual effective doses for adult smokers were: 79.7 µSv y⁻¹ for 226Ra, 67.1 µSv y⁻¹ for 228Ra, and 104.7 µSv y⁻¹ for 210Pb.
The sum of effective doses from these three natural radionuclides ranged from 151.9 to 401.3 µSv y⁻¹ (average 251.5 µSv y⁻¹).
Annual effective dose from Chernobyl-derived 137Cs was significantly lower, ranging from 70.4 to 410.4 nSv y⁻¹.

Conclusions:

Naturally occurring radionuclides in Greek tobacco contribute significantly to the effective dose for smokers.
The levels of 137Cs from Chernobyl are orders of magnitude lower than those from natural radionuclides.

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