Determination of 210Po in calcium supplements and the possible related dose assessment to the consumers

The aim of this pioneer study was to investigate the most popular calcium supplements as a potential additional source of polonium Po-210 in human diet. The analyzed calcium pharmaceutics contained organic or inorganic calcium compounds; some from natural sources as mussels' shells, fish extracts, or sedimentary rocks. The objectives of this research were to investigate the naturally occurring (210)po activity concentrations in calcium supplements, find the correlations between Po-210 concentration in medicament and calcium chemical form, and calculate the effective radiation dose connected to analyzed calcium supplement consumption. As results showed, Po-210 concentrations in natural origin calcium supplements (especially sedimentary rocks) were higher than the other analyzed. Also the results of Po-210 analysis obtained for inorganic forms of calcium supplements were higher. The highest Po-210 activity concentrations were determined in mineral tablets made from sedimentary rocks: dolomite and chalk -3.88 +/- 0.22 and 3.36 +/- 0.10 mBq g(-1) respectively; while the lowest in organic calcium compounds: calcium lactate and calcium gluconate 0.07 +/- 0.02 and 0.17 +/- 0.01 mBq g(-1). The annual effective radiation doses from supplements intake were estimated as well. The highest annual radiation dose from Po-210 taken with 1 tablet of calcium supplement per day was connected to sample made from chalk - 2.5 +/- 0.07 mu Sv year(-1), while the highest annual radiation dose from Po-210 taken with 1 g of pure calcium per day was connected to dolomite - 12.7 +/- 0.70 mu Sv year(-1). (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.