210Po and 210Pb in soils and vegetables in Kucuk Menderes basin of Turkey

In this study concentrations of 210Po and 210Pb radionuclides in soils and vegetables collected from both cultivated and uncultivated agricultural lands of the Kucuk Menderes basin were determined. 210Po and 210Pb activity concentrations of vegetables collected from cultivated lands were found to be slightly higher than those collected from undisturbed lands. The activity concentrations in vegetables were detected between 0.15 – 9.40 Bq kg - 1 and 0.23 – 0.62 Bq kg - 1 for 210Po and 210Pb, respectively. In the bulk soil cores sampled from phosphate fertilizer-applied agricultural lands, the ranges for activity concentrations of 210Po and 210Pb are 30.10 – 47.15 Bq kg - 1 and 31.27 – 61.53 Bq kg - 1 , respectively. 210Po and 210Pb activity concentrations in soil cores collected from uncultivated soils were also determined for comparison. The annual effective dose equivalents to man from 210Po and 210Pb due to consumption of leafy vegetables are calculated to be 30.51 and 22.73 μ Sv a - 1 , respectively. Likewise root vegetables give a dose equivalent of 22.89 μ Sv a - 1 from 210Po and 44.77 μ Sv a - 1 from 210Pb.