Evaluation of radioactivity in chanterelle (Cantharellus cibarius) and health implications

The contamination, accumulation, spatial distribution, and potential health risk of ¹³⁷Cs, ²¹⁰Po, ²¹⁰Pb, and ⁴⁰K in chanterelles collected across Poland were examined using a validated methodology (gamma-ray and alpha-particle spectrometric measurements). The values of anthropogenic ¹³⁷Cs activity concentration in mushrooms were between 118 and 1647. Bq∙kg^-1 dry weight (dw), while for natural ⁴⁰K from 1316 to 1895 Bq∙kg^-1 dw. The activity concentrations of ²¹⁰Po in chanterelles were between 2.23 and 8.57 Bq∙kg^-1 dw and in forest topsoil between 11.4 and 83.0 Bq∙kg^-1 dw. Corresponding values for ²¹⁰Pb were 1.50-6.14 and 7.74-46.1 Bq∙kg^-1 dw, respectively. An assessment of the annual radiation doses and cancer risk related to ¹³⁷Cs, ⁴⁰K, as well as ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb (related to ²³⁸U series) consumed with chanterelle showed that ¹³⁷Cs and ²¹⁰Po give a similar risk, but 2-3 orders of magnitude higher than ⁴⁰K and ²¹⁰Pb.