The aim of this study was to determine the activity concentrations of naturally occurring radioisotopes 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in 14 soil samples collected in the Skopje city surrounding, and to calculate the corresponding absorbed gamma dose rates. The radionuclides were measured applying a high purity Ge detector gamma-ray spectrometer with relative efficiency of 30 % at 1.33 MeV. The activity concentrations found in 14 soil samples varied in the range 24.1-41.9 Bq kg-1for 226Ra, 38.5-52.2 Bq kg-1 for 232Th, and 502-707 Bq kg-1 for40K. The mean radium equivalent (Raeq), for the area under investigation, was 143±16 Bq kg-1, while the outdoor radiation hazard index (Hex) was 0.39. The total absorbed dose rate due to three primordial radionuclides investigated lay in the range 55.3 - 79.0 nGy h-1 with mean value of 68.1±7.7 nGy h-1, yielding a total annual effective dose of (83.5±9.5) µSv y-1. The assessed radiological factors were lower than the recommended values, indicating low radiological health risk for the population living and working in the investigated area. The activity concentrations of radionuclides in soil samples were compared to the international values reported by United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation and previous studies on geographically close areas and some worldwide regions.
A b s t r a c t: Concentration of natural radionuclides in soil and plants are crucial parameters for defining the level of contamination of the environment. The samples for analysis were collected from the 14 localities of the surrounding of Skopje, of cultivated and uncultivated soil. The specific activity of radionuclides 232 Th, 226 Ra and 40 K are determined by gamma spectrometry. The analysis results show that the mean value of 232 Th specific activity in cultivated soil was 43.74 ± 4.99 Bq•kg 1 , while in uncultivated soil it was 35.70 ± 5.65 Bq•kg 1 . The 226 Ra specific activity had a mean value of 34.09 ± 6.53 Bq•kg 1 and 28.30 ± 5.54 Bq•kg 1 in cultivated and uncultivated soil, respectively. The specific activity of 40 from all localities was higher than the one of 232 Th and 226 Ra, and in cultivated soil the mean value was 608.12 ± 70.43 Bq•kg 1 , while in uncultivated soil it was 506.54 ± 59.96 Bq•kg 1 . From the same locations corn samples were also collected for analysis. Concentration of natural radionuclides in corn is lower then referent values. From the results ttransfer factor (TF) of natural radionuclides from soil to corn was calculated.
In recent years, numerous reports have repeatedly highlighted a series of food safety scandals involving contaminated and forged meat and fish products, grains and fruit products, juices, cooking oils, and spices and herbs, distilled beverages and pet treats. Foods that have been found to be stained with chemicals, illicit drug residues, additives and dyes, pathogenic microorganisms and other pests. Some foods enter the market have expired well or are unhygienic.
Corn, wheat and other different types of cereal crops, are one of the basic nutritional products in general, which have essential and vast application in the daily diet of people around the world. Cereal crops are the most important food sources, and cereal-based food is the main source of energy, protein, B vitamins and minerals for the world population. Therefore, the goal of this research is to analyze the production of wheat on arable land in the Republic of North Macedonia, as an agricultural country, which will indirectly help to draw conclusions about the impact on the economic structure of the population, their standard of living, the investment and economic fluctuations in market prices, taken as a sui generis element, set as an assumption ceteris paribus against the other determinants and factors that affect the national economy in the Republic of North Macedonia.
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