Natural Radioactivity in Some Food Crops from Bangka-Belitung lslands, lndonesia

Natural radioactivities of food crops is the main sources of internal radiation exposure in humans. Bangka-Belitung islands of Indonesia has a higher natural background radioactivity the typical areas because of tin mining activities. The study was carried out to evaluate the natural radioactivity concentration in several food crops from Bangka and Belitung Is1ands. Food sanples collected from Bangka and Belitung islands were analysed by meals of a gamma spectroscopy for natural radionuclides od Ra-226, Th-232 and K-40. The annual intake of the food was estimated on the basis of their average annual consumption. Calculations were also made to determine thc effective dose to an individual consuming such diets. The intakes of these radionuclides were calculated using the concentrations of Bangka Belitung foods and annual consumption rates of these food. Annual intakes of the radionuclides were as follows: 226Ra = 190.00; 232Th = 633.79 and 40K: 2065.10 Bq/year. The annual internal dose resulting from ingestion of radionuclides in food was 0.205 msv/year which is much lower than annual dose limit of 1 mSv for general public. The radionuclides with highest consumption is 40K followed by 232Th and 226Ra.