Radioecological investigation in the environment of Belgrade city, Serbia

Abstract

Activity concentrations of 40K, 238U, 232Th and 137Cs in samples of soil (cultivated and uncultivated), mosses, mushrooms and game meat (wild rabbit, pheasant and wild boar) are measured by gamma-spectrometry technique. The samples were collected from suburban areas of Belgrade city, Serbia, over 2008–2014. Naturally occurring radionuclides in the soil are present at the level characteristic for Serbia. An artificial radionuclide 137Cs is detected in the samples of soil, mosses and mushrooms, which indicates that almost 30 years after the nuclear accident in Chernobyl, this radioisotope is still present in the environment. Since the measured activity concentrations of primordial radionuclides and 137Cs in game meat are below detection limit, these samples can be classified as safe for consumption.