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Radioactivity in Total Diet¹

Consumers Union of U. S., Inc., Mount Vernon, New York and Department of Physical Biology, New York State Veterinary College, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York

1. Total diet samples collected in 1961 from 10 to 25 major cities were analyzed for radionuclides arising from nuclear debris (Sr⁹⁰, Cs¹³⁷, Ce¹⁴⁴, Pu²³⁹, Zn⁶⁵), for natural radioactivity (Ra²²⁶, Pb²¹⁰, K⁴⁰), and for the stable nuclides of Ca and K. The variability arising from collection of samples was not greater than that due to analytical procedures.

2. Levels of Sr⁹⁰ in the total diet ranged from 2 to 15 µµc/gm of Ca. Values in the West, with the exception of the Far Northwest, tended to be lower, but no marked differences were observed among other geographical regions. The Sr⁹⁰/gm Ca values for adult diets, presumably because of their lower milk content, were higher than for infant and teenage diets.

3. The values of Sr⁹⁰/ gm of Ca for the total diet were about 1.6 times those for the milk contained in the diet. It was calculated that 54% of the total Sr⁹⁰ intake came from dairy products, on the assumption that 75% of the Ca originated from this source.

4. The daily intake of Ra²²⁶ was estimated to be about 2 µµc in teenage and adult diets, and about 1 µµc in infant diets.

5. Average daily intakes of the various radionuclides expressed in micromicrocuries, were as follows: K⁴⁰, 4,000; Cs¹³⁷, 50; Sr⁹⁰, 10; Ce¹⁴⁴, 4; Pb²¹⁰, 4; Ra²²⁶, 2; Pu²³⁹, 0.1.

Manuscript received 16 July 1962.