Radioactivity levels in some vegetables and herbs

Evaluation of the amount of radioactivity in plants is essential from the outlook of health protection, hence assessment of radioactivity levels in many vegetable and herb samples were estimated. The samples were collected from Iraqi local markets, were measured. Many parameters such as radon concentration, radium content and uranium concentration in unit of ppm were determined. Average values of Rn level, Ra content and U concentration in pharmaceutical herbs were 27.7 Bq.m-3, 0.39 Bq.Kg-1 and 0.48 ppm, respectively. While, the mean values of radon level, radium content and uranium concentration in vegetables were 33.89 Bq.m-3, 0.40 Bq.kg-1 and 0.49 ppm, respectively. Ra and U concentrations are positively correlated in the studied herbs and vegetables samples. All values of Ra content were under the allowed world limit, while 80% of uranium concentration values were above the permissible world value.