Elemental composition and radionuclide content of inflorescences from Sambucus nigra L. from different regions of Bulgaria

Krastena Nikolova; Galia Gentscheva; Nina Arhangelova; Dragomira Buhalova; Anelia Gerasimova; Vanya Slavova; Margarita Velikova; Lubomir Makedonski; Valentin Kabadjov

Krastena Nikolova, Galia Gentscheva, Nina Arhangelova, Dragomira Buhalova, Anelia Gerasimova, Vanya Slavova, Margarita Velikova, Lubomir Makedonski, Valentin Kabadjov

Abstract: This study presents gamma-spectrometric data, elemental composition, and presence of radionuclides in inflorescences of Sambucus nigra L., collected from four different regions of Bulgaria. Radionuclides belonging to two radioactive families were detected: 232Th, 226Ra, 212Pb, 214Pb, 208Tl, 214Bi, 228Ac and 40K, together with the anthropogenic radionuclide 137Cs. For all analyzed samples, the highest specific activity was observed for 40K (750-1150 Bq/kg). Radionuclide doses to an adult, who consumed herbal tea made from these medicinal herbs ranged from 2.5 to 469.9 nSv for 137Cs; 0.7 to 9.7 nSv for 238U; 0.3 to 2.8 nSv for 232Th and 7.64 to 11.7 µSv for 40K. A correlation dependence was established between the intensity of the fluorescence maximum at an excitation wavelength of 498 nm and the specific activity of radium, thorium, and potassium. The content of macroelements in inflorescences follows the sequence K > Ca > Mg and coincides with results characteristic of the region.

Keywords: elemental composition; fluorescence spectroscopy; gamma spectrometry; Sambucus nigra L.

Citation: Nikolova, K., Gentscheva, G., Arhangelova, N., Buhalova, D., Gerasimova, A., Slavova, V., Velikova, M., Makedonski, L. & Kabadjov, V. (2024). Elemental composition and radionuclide content of inflorescences from Sambucus nigra L. from different regions of Bulgaria. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 30 (Supplement 1), 125–131

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Date published: 2024-12-13

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