Soil-to-plant transfer of 226Ra and radiological risk from cassava consumption in a tropical agroecosystem: a multi-matrix assessment from Ecuador

Kevin José Alcívar Mejía; Tony Jesús Viloria Ávila

doi:10.1007/s10967-026-10888-y

Soil-to-plant transfer of ²²⁶Ra and radiological risk from cassava consumption in a tropical agroecosystem: a multi-matrix assessment from Ecuador

Kevin José Alcívar Mejía
, Tony Jesús Viloria Ávila

Research Group in Biotechnology and Environment (INBIAM)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This study evaluated the activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra in cassava pulp, peel, and derived starch cultivated in three production sectors of Chone, Ecuador, and assessed soil-to-plant transfer and associated dietary exposure. Results show pronounced sector-dependent variability in radionuclide distribution, with consistently lower ²²⁶Ra levels in starch relative to raw plant fractions. Estimated ingestion doses for both children and adults were negligible and well below international reference values. These findings provide the first multi-matrix baseline for ²²⁶Ra transfer in cassava under tropical Ecuadorian conditions and support site-specific radiological risk assessments.

Original language	English
Journal	Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-026-10888-y
State	Accepted/In press - 2026

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© Akadémiai Kiadó Zrt 2026.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

Ra
Activity concentration
Cassava (Manihot esculenta)
Ingestion dose
Radiological risk assessment
Soil-to-plant transfer factor

Access to Document

10.1007/s10967-026-10888-y

Cite this

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title = "Soil-to-plant transfer of 226Ra and radiological risk from cassava consumption in a tropical agroecosystem: a multi-matrix assessment from Ecuador",

abstract = "This study evaluated the activity concentrations of 226Ra in cassava pulp, peel, and derived starch cultivated in three production sectors of Chone, Ecuador, and assessed soil-to-plant transfer and associated dietary exposure. Results show pronounced sector-dependent variability in radionuclide distribution, with consistently lower 226Ra levels in starch relative to raw plant fractions. Estimated ingestion doses for both children and adults were negligible and well below international reference values. These findings provide the first multi-matrix baseline for 226Ra transfer in cassava under tropical Ecuadorian conditions and support site-specific radiological risk assessments.",

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doi = "10.1007/s10967-026-10888-y",

language = "English",

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AU - Alcívar Mejía, Kevin José

AU - Viloria Ávila, Tony Jesús

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © Akadémiai Kiadó Zrt 2026.

PY - 2026

Y1 - 2026

N2 - This study evaluated the activity concentrations of 226Ra in cassava pulp, peel, and derived starch cultivated in three production sectors of Chone, Ecuador, and assessed soil-to-plant transfer and associated dietary exposure. Results show pronounced sector-dependent variability in radionuclide distribution, with consistently lower 226Ra levels in starch relative to raw plant fractions. Estimated ingestion doses for both children and adults were negligible and well below international reference values. These findings provide the first multi-matrix baseline for 226Ra transfer in cassava under tropical Ecuadorian conditions and support site-specific radiological risk assessments.

AB - This study evaluated the activity concentrations of 226Ra in cassava pulp, peel, and derived starch cultivated in three production sectors of Chone, Ecuador, and assessed soil-to-plant transfer and associated dietary exposure. Results show pronounced sector-dependent variability in radionuclide distribution, with consistently lower 226Ra levels in starch relative to raw plant fractions. Estimated ingestion doses for both children and adults were negligible and well below international reference values. These findings provide the first multi-matrix baseline for 226Ra transfer in cassava under tropical Ecuadorian conditions and support site-specific radiological risk assessments.

KW - Ra

KW - Activity concentration

KW - Cassava (Manihot esculenta)

KW - Ingestion dose

KW - Radiological risk assessment

KW - Soil-to-plant transfer factor

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DO - 10.1007/s10967-026-10888-y

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