Health risk assessment of radionuclides in edible fruits cultivated around natural high background radiation areas of Manavalakurichi, Tamil Nadu, India

This study aimed to investigate the dynamics of 210Po and 210Pb accumulation in fruits cultivated in the NHBR area of Manavalakurichi, India. Fruits and soil samples were collected from 8 agricultural fields in Manavalakurichi. Standard procedures were followed to analysis the activity concentrations of 210Po and 210Pb. The annual effective ingestion dose and Excessive Lifetime Cancer risk (ELCR) assessment were calculated using established models. The average activity concentrations in soil were 64.74 Bqkg−1 for 210Pb and 9.12 Bqkg−1 for 210Po. Fruit samples showed varying levels of 210Po (1.946 to 6.910 Bqkg−1) and 210Pb (12.750 to 29.125 Bqkg−1), with the highest levels found in coconut (210Po: 6.910 Bqkg−1, 210Pb: 24.625 Bqkg−1) and specific banana varieties (210Po: 1.946 to 4.973 Bqkg−1, 210Pb: 19.750 to 21.500 Bqkg−1). The calculated annual effective radiation doses were 167.9 μSv yr−1 for adults, 239.9 μSv yr−1 for juveniles, and 352.1 μSv yr−1 for children, significantly higher compared to other studies The annual effective dose is well below the acceptable level set by the ICRP and IAEA, which is 1 mSv/year. The ELCR values of 210Po ranged between (8.63 × 10−6 − 4.85 × 10−4) and 210Pb ranged between (1.17 × 10−4− 1.47 × 10−3) which is significantly lower than the ELCR value of 2.5 × 10−3 recommended by the ICRP. The concentration ratio (CR) of 210Po and 210Pb in the fruits cultivated around natural high background radiation areas of Manavalakurichi was determined to assess the transfer of radionuclides from soil to fruits. The study provides valuable insights into the complex pathways of radionuclide accumulation in agricultural systems and contributes to the development of evidence-based policies and practices.