210Po as a source of natural radioactivity in cigarettes distributed in the Philippines

Abstract The natural radioactive nuclides especially 210 Po, are volatilized at the temperature (600 – 800 °C) of a burning cigarette and are taken into the human body. Therefore, analysis of natural radioactivity of 210 Po in cigarettes and the effective dose to smokers should be evaluated. The activity concentration of 210 Po in sixteen brands of Philippine cigarettes was measured by alpha spectrometry, and estimation of effective dose of 210 Po to smokers was performed. The activity concentration of 210 Po in cigarettes distributed in the Philippines ranged from 5.5 to 17.8 mBq/cigarette and the mean value of their activity concentrations was 12.0 mBq/cigarette. The mean value of annual effective doses of 210 Po to smokers obtained from these activity concentrations was 0.021 mSv/y, which was lower than the reference level (1-20 mSv/y) for existing situation in ICRP Publication 103.