Powdered milk consumed in Algeria and estimation of annual effective doses

Abstract

HPGe detector by employing the gamma spectrometry method. The results show that the specific activity of ⁴⁰K, ²²⁶Ra and ²³²Th in infant powdered milk samples varied from (133.57±1.75 to 195.95±2.56 Bq/kg), (1.35±0.03 to 2.70±0.07 Bq/kg) and (1.34±0.03 to 1.63±0.06 Bq/kg), respectively. In adult powdered milk samples, the activity concentration of ⁴⁰K, ²²⁶Ra ²³²Th and ¹³⁷Cs were varied from (110.52±1.49 to 687.89±8.94 Bq/kg), (1.38±0.04 to 2.59±0.10 Bq/kg), (1.25±0.03 to 2.63±0.09 Bq/kg) and (3.60±0.07 to 7.78±0.11 Bq/kg), respectively. The obtained results were subsequently compared with data from various studies conducted globally. The estimated annual ingestion dose resulting from the consumption of powdered milk was found to be 583.80 µSv/y infants (≤ 1y), and 56.85 µSv/y for adults (≥ 17y). These values indicate that powdered milk in Algeria does not have a significant radiological impact on the population, as they are below the dose limit recommended by the World Health Organization.