Concentrations of selenium, barium, and radium in Brazil nuts

• Published in: Journal of food composition and analysis Vol. 21; no. 4; pp. 332 - 335
• Main Authors: Parekh, P.P., Khan, A.R., Torres, M.A., Kitto, M.E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01-06-2008; Elsevier
• Subjects: Barium; Bertholletia excelsa; Biological and medical sciences; Bolivia; Brazil; Brazil nut; Dietary reference intake (DRI); Edible nuts; Essential element; Family Lecythidaceae; Food industries; Fruit and vegetable industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Methods of analysis, processing and quality control, regulation, standards; Peru; Ra bioaccumulation; Radium; Selenium; Soil concentration; South America; Toxicity; South America; Brazil; Peru; America; South America; Barium; Family Lecythidaceae; Toxicity; Ra bioaccumulation; Bolivia; Dietary reference intake (DRI); Soil concentration; Brazil nut; Brazil; Selenium; Peru; Bertholletia excelsa; Radium; Edible nuts; Essential element; Nuts; Reference; Concentration; Inorganic element; Soils; Biological accumulation
• ISSN: 0889-1575; 1096-0481
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jfca.2007.12.001

The concentrations of selenium, barium, and radium were determined in Brazil nuts grown in four regions: Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, and an unknown locality assigned to northern South America. Results indicated that, regardless of geographic origin, all nuts contained measurable amounts of selenium, barium, and radium. The concentration range of Se (2–20
μg/g) and that of Ba (96–1990
μg/g) each varied by more than an order of magnitude in the nuts, while
226Ra (17–27
mBq/g) and
228Ra (18–31
mBq/g) activities were comparable and within a factor of two of one another. The greatest concentrations of the elements were measured in nuts from Bolivia, for Ba; Brazil, for Ra; and northern South America, for Se. Only the northern South American nuts contained
137Cs.