Radionuclides in mushrooms and soil-to-mushroom transfer factors in certain areas of China.

Activity concentrations of238 U,226 Ra,228 Ra,137 Cs and40 K in 64 mushroom samples collected in China from Yunnan, Fujian and Heilongjiang Provinces, were measured. Gamma-ray emissions were determined by using high-purity germanium (HPGe) γ spectrometry. The range of concentrations (Bq kg-1 dry weight) for238 U,226 Ra,228 Ra,137 Cs and40 K in all investigated mushroom samples were from 0.12 to 12, 0.05 to 7.5, 0.14 to 14, MDC(<0.01) to 339, and 396 to 1880, respectively. Activity concentrations of137 Cs in mushrooms showed some variation between species sampled at the same site. To calculate soil to mushroom transfer factors, levels of radionuclide in 15 paired soil samples and mushrooms were also investigated. The median transfer factors for238 U,226 Ra,228 Ra,137 Cs and40 K were 8.32 × 10-2 , 3.03 × 10-2 , 6.69 × 10-2 , 0.40 and 1.19, respectively. The results were compared with values of other areas.