RADIOACTIVITY CONCENTRATION ASSOCIATED WITH CANCER RISK ARISING FROM THE CONSUMPTION OF PRE-MIX INSTANT PACKAGE BEVERAGE

Abstract

Beverage consumption containing radionuclides may contribute to radiation dose and poses a higher cancer risk to human. Studies were conducted to determine the concentration of radionuclides present in the pre-mix instant beverage. Based on the consumption rate by Malaysian adults, the annual effective dose and the associated cancer risk were estimated. The activity concentration was found to range between 63 to 1360 Bq/kg for ⁴⁰K. For other natural radionuclides of ²²⁶Ra, ²²⁸Ra, ²³²Th, and ²³⁸U, it ranged between 0.88 – 6.43 Bq/kg, 0.83 – 8.48 Bq/kg, 0.62 – 5.73 Bq/kg and 2.64 –21.49 Bq/kg, respectively, whilst the artificial radionuclides were less than 2 Bq/kg. Calculated annual effective doses due to the intake of radionuclides by ingestion were between 44.6 – 170.0 μSv/y, with the potential of cancer risk incurrence between 16 to 59 cases in every 100,000 people.