Krastena Nikolova1, Galia Gentscheva2, Nina Arhangelova3, Dragomira Buhalova4, Anelia Gerasimova5, Vanya Slavova6, Margarita Velikova7, Lubomir Makedonski5 and Valentin Kabadjov8
1 Department of Physics and Biophysics, Medical University-Varna, 9000 Varna, Bulgaria
2 Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Medical University-Pleven, 5800 Pleven, Bulgaria
3 Department of Physics and Astronomy, Shumen University, Shumen, Bulgaria
4 Department of Nutrient and Catering, University of Food Technology, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
5 Department of Chemistry, Medical University-Varna, 9000 Varna, Bulgaria
6 Maritsa Vegetable Crops Research Institute, Agricultural Academy, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
7 Department of Physiology, Medical University-Varna, 9000 Varna, Bulgaria
8 Department of Educational Technology, Plovdiv University, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Nikolova, K., Gentscheva, G., Arhangelova, N., Buhalova, D., Gerasimova, A., Slavova, V., Velikova, M., Makedonski, L. & Kabadjov, V. (2024). Elemental composition and radionuclide content of inflorescences from Sambucus nigra L. from different regions of Bulgaria. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 30 (Supplement 1), 125–131
This study presents gamma-spectrometric data, elemental composition, and presence of radionuclides in inflorescences of Sambucus nigra L., collected from four different regions of Bulgaria. Radionuclides belonging to two radioactive families were detected: 232Th, 226Ra, 212Pb, 214Pb, 208Tl, 214Bi, 228Ac and 40K, together with the anthropogenic radionuclide 137Cs. For all analyzed samples, the highest specific activity was observed for 40K (750–1150 Bq/kg). Radionuclide doses to an adult, who consumed herbal tea made from these medicinal herbs ranged from 2.5 to 469.9 nSv for 137Cs; 0.7 to 9.7 nSv for 238U; 0.3 to 2.8 nSv for 232Th and 7.64 to 11.7 µSv for 40K. A correlation dependence was established between the intensity of the fluorescence maximum at an excitation wavelength of 498 nm and the specific activity of radium, thorium, and potassium. The content of macroelements in inflorescences follows the sequence K > Ca > Mg and coincides with results characteristic of the region.