The latest issue of the journal 'Trends in Food Science & Technology' published a scientific article prepared by the staff of the Toxicology and Radiological Protection Unit of the Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk.
The authors of the review article 'Beta-emitting radionuclides in wild mushrooms and potential radiotoxicity for their consumers' are employees of Toxicology and Radiological Protection Group of the Faculty of Chemistry UG, dr hab. Dagmara Strumińska-Parulska, prof. UG, mgr Aleksandra Moniakowska and prof. dr hab. Jerzy Falandysz (retired employee of the Faculty of Chemistry UG).
The journal 'Trends in Food Science & Technology' publishes critical reviews and commentaries on food science, focusing on the most promising new research achievements and their potential applications. The journal boasts a high citation index (impact factor), currently at 11.077, and the number of points assigned to the journal by MEiN is 200.
- 'The review article we have published is the first of its kind on beta-radioactive emitters determined in wild fungi. Fungi are good bioindicators of environmental contamination by anthropogenic factors, including radioactive elements. Moreover, many species accumulate them in significant quantities and this applies both to radioisotopes of natural origin and nuclides released as a result of human activities,' explains dr hab. Dagmara Strumińska-Parulska, prof. UG. - 'In this study, we focused on beta emitters, whose mechanism of radiotoxicity is similar to that of alpha emitters, but their radiation penetration is much higher. In turn, the characteristics of radiometric measurements of the activity of beta-emitters make their determination much more difficult compared to alpha- or gamma-emitting isotopes, hence the knowledge of their content in the environment is much poorer. Obviously, due to the potential health effects, our greatest interest lies in food, in this case, edible fungi, and the potential effective doses received by consumers resulting from the decay of ingested radionuclides,' adds dr hab. Dagmara Strumińska-Parulska, prof. UG.
The problem of environmental radiochemistry and radiological protection of the population is currently neglected in the scientific world. Despite the passage of years, the echo of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster still resounds, mainly in the form of public fears. However, contrary to the common opinion of the population in Poland, research conducted at the Faculty of Chemistry of the University of Gdańsk proves that it is the radioisotopes of natural origin in the environment that are the main source of radiation dose to the population.
The article can be read here:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224421003897?via...