Comparative study between radioactive contamination in powder milk by Chernobyl accident (¹³⁷Cs) and natural radioactivity (⁴⁰K)

Abstract

After the Chernobyl accident in 1986, Mexico imported from an European country 28,000 tons of contaminated powder milk with the fission product ¹³⁷Cs. When the contamination was detected, the alarm among the authorities and population spread out very quickly and of course the product was retired at once from the foodstuff market. Nevertheless, the public panic grew up in such a manner, that even the way to manage and to dispose safely this material, considered highly dangerous, was largely discussed. Now, about two decades ago from this event, a study has been performed to compare the level of radioactivity due to both radioisotopes present in one saved sample: the artificial contaminant ¹³⁷Cs, beside the natural, all around present ⁴⁰K, in order to evaluate in a more realistic way how risky was the management, possible consumption, and final disposition of this nourishment. This paper considers results obtained within an uncertainty degree equal to ±5%, and set up conclusions by comparing artificial and natural radioactivity present in that contaminated powder milk.