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The activities of 210Po and 210Pb in cigarette smoked in Tunisia

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Abstract

In this study, the activity concentration of polonium 210 in cigarette for Tunisian consumers was investigated by alpha spectrometry. After chemical digestion of tobacco, 210Po was extracted, auto-deposited on disc and measured. The activity of 210Pb was assessed after radioactive equilibrium was achieved. The activity levels of 210Po ranged between 7.8 ± 0.3 and 17 ± 0.5 mBq per cigarette with an average of 12.9 ± 0.4 mBq per cigarette. Effective doses per year due to cigarette smoking were calculated assuming that 22% of the 210Pb and 210Po in tobacco were retained in the lungs of the smokers. It is concluded that for a smoker in Tunisia, the average effective dose is about 90.6 ± 3.3 μSv per year for a cigarette consumption of one pack of cigarettes per day. This value is somewhat lower than 106.4 ± 5.3 μSv per year estimated as the mean global effective dose from smoking.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Laboratory in Matter and Energy, CNSTN, LR16CNSTN02, Sidi Thabet Technopark, 2020, Tunis, Tunisia

    F. Boujelbane, M. Samaali, W. Dridi & M. Oueslati

  2. Radiochemistry Laboratory, CNSTN, Sidi Thabet Technopark, 2020, Tunis, Tunisia

    F. Boujelbane, M. Samaali & S. Rahali

  3. Radioanalysis Laboratory, CNSTN, Sidi Thabet Technopark, 2020, Tunis, Tunisia

    W. Abdelli & M. Oueslati

  4. AAEA, Arab Atomic Energy Agency, 7 Rue de L’assistance, Cité El Khadhra, 1003, Tunis, Tunisia

    S. Takriti

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  1. F. Boujelbane
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  2. M. Samaali
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  3. S. Rahali
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Correspondence to F. Boujelbane.

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Boujelbane, F., Samaali, M., Rahali, S. et al. The activities of 210Po and 210Pb in cigarette smoked in Tunisia. Radiat Environ Biophys 59, 565–570 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-020-00853-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-020-00853-y

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