Daily dietary intake of trace elements of radiological and nutritional importance by the adult Indian population

Abstract

The concentrations of eleven trace elements: Ca, Co, Cr, Cs, Fe, I,K, Se, Sr, Th and Zn were determined in total diet samples and also in individualfood materials which constitute the typical Indian diet. Instrumental neutronactivation analysis (INAA) and radiochemical neutron activation analysis (RNAA)were employed for the analysis. Whereas the elements Fe, Co, Cr, Se and Znare important from the view point of their role in nutrition, the elementsCs, K, Sr and Th are of importance in radiation protection, and Ca and I havedual importance: both in nutrition as well as in radiation protection. Basedon the analysis of twenty total diet samples, prepared as per the data onthe dietary intake pattern of four provinces of India and the data on intakepattern of an average adult Indian, the geometric mean (GM) intake of variouselements was estimated to be 0.33 g (0.2–0.67) for Ca, 16.5 µg(8.3–31.1) for Co, 52.3 µg (35.1–131) for Cr, 4.7 µg(2.79–11.8) for Cs, 94.6 µg (60.6–201) for I, 1.90 g (1.25–3.54)for K, 1.13 mg (0.78–2.97) for Sr, 0.76 µg (0.45–1.66) forTh, 15.9 mg (10.2–34.3) for Fe, 56.3 µg (27.6–105.3) forSe and 8.6 mg (5.1–16.7) for Zn. Some of the important individual foodmaterials, such as cereals, pulses, milk, vegetables etc., were also analysedfor these elements to observe the contributions of the individual food materialsto their daily dietary intake. The results of the analysis showed that inthe case of Cs, K, Sr, Th, Fe, Zn and Co, almost 50% of the daily dietaryintake of the above stated elements is contributed by cereals and pulses.In the case of Ca however, significant amount is contributed by milk and incase of I, iodised salt could make significant contribution. The data collectedso far, for Se and Cr, was not sufficient to draw any definite conclusion.