In the paper the studies of the level of some gamma radioactive elements and heavy metals in fruit, vegetables and plants from Lublin town agglomeration are presented.
Potassium ⁴⁰K isotope was the most of all in the examined samples. It concentrated mainly in overground parts of some vegetables, for example in parsley and carrots haulm and in leaves of red beet and leek (from 1135 to 1940 Bq/kg). Considerably lower concentration of this element was noticed in the roots of the vegetables, ranging from 210 to 448 Bq/kg of the dry matter. In examined fruit, the ⁴⁰K contents ranged from 490 to 510 Bq/kg. Transfer factors of ⁴⁰K, from the soil to the vegetables and fruit, ranged from 0.3 to 2.9. The natural isotopes of uranium series gives about 17% of the total activity, whereas thorium series 19-20% of this activity. In fact, in examined fruit (raspberry, red and black currants) and roots of the vegetables the caesium ¹³⁷Cs was not detected, whereas some amounts of it were noticed in green parts of vegetables, from 4.0 to 8.4 Bq/kg of the dry matter. The transfer factor of ¹³⁷Cs from the soil to examined samples ranged from 0.03 to 0.4. In all studied samples, examined on heavy metal contents no valid safety standards for these elements were exceed.