<SUP align=left><SMALL>210</SMALL></SUP>Po concentration in urine of residents in a high level background radiation area in Iran

As part of an epidemiological survey to determine public exposure to natural radiation and to estimate radionuclide levels in the diet of residents in a high level background radiation area at Ramsar in Iran, ²¹⁰Po concentrations were determined in 24-hour urine samples by means of a liquid scintillation counting technique. The maximum and minimum mean concentrations of ²¹⁰Po in 100 ml of urine were 2.61 (±0.09 SE) and 1.52 (±0.08 SE) mBq, respectively, with an overall mean of 2.00 (±0.86 SE) mBq in 45 samples; the mean ²¹⁰Po concentration in 100 ml of 20 control samples from local residents in areas where background radiation has been determined as normal was 0.86 (±0.03 SE) mBq. We conclude that the urinary ²¹⁰Po concentration in residents is elevated in proportion to the background levels, but so far there is no evidence of health problems.

Keywords: ²¹⁰Po, urine, background radiation, radioactivity, Ramsar, Iran, radionuclide levels, diet, Iran, public radiation exposure