210Po is the main radiotoxic chemical in tobacco smoke and one of the primary causes of lung cancer. Investigating 210Po concentration in tobacco is important in estimating the annual effective dose (AED) due to smoking. In this study, the 210Po concentrations in tobacco leaves and soil in Quang Xuong, Vietnam were measured using a high-resolution passivated and implanted planar silicon detector. Based on these data the AEDs to smokers were estimated. The 210Po activity concentration in tobacco varied significantly from 28.7 to 254.0 mBq g-1, whereas its variation in soil was insignificant. The AED due to smoking fresh tobacco leaves in Vietnam (average 565 μSv y-1) was significantly higher than the values reported for other countries (36-361 μSv y-1).
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