Non-destructive determination of 40K in Marijuana and the effective radiation dose to the body

Johann Antoine, Charles Grant

Abstract

Total potassium (0.84 % to 3.15 %; mean of 1.93 %.) in marijuana buds was determined from the ⁴¹K (<i>n</i>, <i>&gamma;</i>) ⁴²K capture reaction by instrumental neutron activation analysis. The mass fraction of ⁴⁰K was derived using the natural isotopic ratios and the activity equation <i>A</i> = <i>&lambda;</i> <i>N</i> used to calculate the activity concentration of ⁴⁰K (253 to 946 Bq kg^-1, mean of 581 Bq kg^-1). Simulated smoking experiments show that over 90% of ⁴⁰K is retained in the cigarette ash. Accepted methods of determining effective dose to the body from ⁴⁰K inhalation are likely overestimations for both marijuana and tobacco cigarette smoke.

Keywords

potassium-40, neutron activation analysis, radiation dose, marijuana, Jamaica

Download

IMEKO-TC19-2017-007.pdf

DOI

-

IMEKO TC

TC19 - Environmental Measurements

Back to the proceedings