Agriculture & Food, Volume 9, 2021

Rezumat: This study evaluates the activity concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides in commonly consumed vegetables obtained from local markets in the Skopje area. Forty two samples, representing potatoes, tomatoes, cucumber, spinach, cabbage, and radish, were collected, washed, dried, homogenized, and sealed to allow radioactive equilibrium before measurement. Gamma spectrometry using a high purity germanium detector was applied to quantify the specific activities of ^226Ra, ^232Th, and ^40K. Based on measured activities, radiological indicators including absorbed dose rate in air, external hazard index, and radium equivalent activity were calculated to assess potential exposure and risk associated with dietary consumption. The results show that ^40K was detected in all vegetable types at the highest activities among the measured radionuclides, while ^226Ra and ^232Th varied across samples. Calculated hazard indices and radium equivalent activities remained well below internationally referenced safety limits, indicating insignificant radiological risk for the population from the analyzed vegetables. The measured activity concentrations were also compared with published data from other countries to place the findings in a broader context.