Revista de química analítica ambiental

NORM in Instant Noodles (Indomie) Sold in Iraq

Abstract

Ali Abid Abojassim Al-Hamidawi

The Radioactivity is invisible, tasteless and not mentioned on food labels, therefore it must be measured the Radionuclides levels in all samples food, we selected the important food that it is widely used in world Instant Noodles. Natural Radioactivity and Some Radiological Parameters of 13 instant noodles samples that available in Iraq supermarkets was determined using Gamma-ray Spectroscopy method. The results showed the range of specific activity for Ra-226 from (2.382 ± 1.128) Bq/kg to (31.918 ± 3.374) Bq/ kg with an average (14.98231) Bq/kg, for Th-232 from (1.509 ± 0.297) Bq/kg to (9.269 ± 0.716) Bq/kg with an average (3.4421538) Bq/kg and K-40 from (113.069 ± 6.854) Bq/ kg to (392.453 ± 8.482) Bq/kg with an average (234.9235) Bq/kg, while the average results of Radium equivalent activity and Internal hazard indices were (37.99370015 Bq/kg and 0.143116) respectively. All specific activity (Ra-226, Th-232 and K-40) investigated in the noodle samples occurred within the threshold limit of UNSECR, (2000) standard (35, 30 and 400) Bq/kg, also Radium equivalent activity and Internal hazard indices were lower than the worldwide average (370 Bq/kg and 1) respectively. All the samples of fast noodles (Indomie) that are available in the Iraqi market are edible for all people, but caution should be taken for accumulation over the time of this natural radioactivity especially in samples where they appeared near the threshold limit amount.