Influence of elemental concentration in soil on vegetables applying analytical nuclear techniques: k0-instrumental neutron activation analysis and radiometry

Samples from two vegetable gardens where analysed aiming at determining the elemental concentration. The vegetables selected to be studied are grown by the people for their own use and are present in daily meal. One vegetable garden studied is close to a mining activity in a region inserted in the Iron Quadrangle (Quadrilatero Ferrifero), located in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. This region is considered one of the richest mineral bearing regions in the world. Another vegetable garden studied is far from this region and without any mining activity It was also studied as a comparative site. This assessment was carried out to evaluate the elemental concentration in soil and vegetables, matrixes connected with the chain food, applying the k0-Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (k0-INAA) at the Laboratory for Neutron Activation Analysis. However, this work reports only the results of thorium, uranium and rare-earth obtained in samples collected during the dry season, focusing on the influence of these elements on vegetable elemental composition. Results of natural radioactivity determined by Gross Alpha and Gross Beta measurements, are also reported. This study is related to the BRA 11920 project, entitled 'Iron Quadrangle, Brazil: assessment of health impact caused by mining pollutants through chain food applying nuclear and related techniques', one of the researches co-ordinated by the IAEA (Vienna, Austria). (author)