Radioactivity in Tobacco
epa.gov
Radioactivity in Tobacco
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Re: Radioactivity in Tobacco
#2Is radium only present in tobacco fertilizers? What separates tobacco fertilizers from other plant fertilizers? Am I at risk for eating tomatoes grown with normal off-the-shelf fertilizer?
Re: Radioactivity in Tobacco
#3Is radium only present in tobacco fertilizers? What separates tobacco fertilizers from other plant fertilizers? Am I at risk for eating tomatoes grown with normal off-the-shelf fertilizer?
Well, don’t eat the tomato leaves for one. If you compare the mass of undried tobacco leaves to a similar amount of food, I would guess similar exposures. I would also guess that the fruit contains more water, therefore a slightly less concentration of radiation.
It’s also about the system, lungs vs digestion. Digestion has been dealing with natural radiation for longer than we have been smoking.
Good question!
I also want to point out things like strawberries are irradiated on purpose to extend shelf life, not the same thing as radionuclides in the food, but a nice example of radiation protecting the food supply and preventing quick spoilage.
Edit: I think all fertilizers are the same, mostly from petrochemical stock. Nothing separating tobacco and food fertilizer.
Re: Radioactivity in Tobacco
#4Is radium only present in tobacco fertilizers? What separates tobacco fertilizers from other plant fertilizers? Am I at risk for eating tomatoes grown with normal off-the-shelf fertilizer?
I wish they made that more clear as well. They do say that these things get stuck on the leaves. Most vegetables get washed at some point before you eat them.
Re: Radioactivity in Tobacco
#5Is radium only present in tobacco fertilizers? What separates tobacco fertilizers from other plant fertilizers? Am I at risk for eating tomatoes grown with normal off-the-shelf fertilizer?
Well, don’t eat the tomato leaves for one. If you compare the mass of undried tobacco leaves to a similar amount of food, I would guess similar exposures. I would also guess that the fruit contains more water, therefore a slightly less concentration of radiation. It’s also about the system, lungs vs digestion. Digestion has been dealing with natural radiation for longer than we have been smoking. Good question! I als…
Most food is irradiated, yes. Prevents potatoes from sprouting, sterilizes tons of food, etc. I am very familiar with that, but didn't realize that radionuclides were ever-present in fertilizers.
I grow my own tea, and use fertilizer. Am I at risk for the same issues after processing the leaves? Additionally, would this then extend to cannabis as well? While they aren't leaves, I'm assuming that radium would end up there as well if in the fertilizer.
I guess what I'm trying to say is what is it specifically about tobacco - is it the mechanism of intake of the tobacco plant specifically, is it a property of all plants and fertilizer, or is it only a property of specific parts of all plants?
Re: Radioactivity in Tobacco
#6Is radium only present in tobacco fertilizers? What separates tobacco fertilizers from other plant fertilizers? Am I at risk for eating tomatoes grown with normal off-the-shelf fertilizer?
Radium is also present in Brazil Nuts. Some plants aggregate chemical elements more than others.
We use them to linearize the energy scale in lower-background germanium detectors. Grocery-store potassium chloride sets our energy calibration.
The bad thing about radium in tobacco, I am told, is that the alpha-emitting radium (or the daughters) tends to aggregate in the lungs. Alphas do a lot of nearby damage, hence a mechanism for lung cancer.
I still eat Brazil nuts without a second thought, even though I've measured the gammas...
Re: Radioactivity in Tobacco
#7Is radium only present in tobacco fertilizers? What separates tobacco fertilizers from other plant fertilizers? Am I at risk for eating tomatoes grown with normal off-the-shelf fertilizer?
Radium is also present in Brazil Nuts. Some plants aggregate chemical elements more than others. We use them to linearize the energy scale in lower-background germanium detectors. Grocery-store potassium chloride sets our energy calibration. The bad thing about radium in tobacco, I am told, is that the alpha-emitting radium (or the daughters) tends to aggregate in the lungs. Alphas do a lot of nearby damage, hence a…
Alpha is the worst internally (than gamma or beta) because it's a big particle (2 protons, 2 neutrons) and does lots of damage internally but can't pass through skin or clothes, so externally it's less dangerous. Additionally, the alpha particle can cause minerals in the body to become radioactive, thus extending the danger.
Re: Radioactivity in Tobacco
#8Earlier quoted context omitted.
Well, don’t eat the tomato leaves for one. If you compare the mass of undried tobacco leaves to a similar amount of food, I would guess similar exposures. I would also guess that the fruit contains more water, therefore a slightly less concentration of radiation. It’s also about the system, lungs vs digestion. Digestion has been dealing with natural radiation for longer than we have been smoking. Good question! I als…
Most food is irradiated, yes. Prevents potatoes from sprouting, sterilizes tons of food, etc. I am very familiar with that, but didn't realize that radionuclides were ever-present in fertilizers. I grow my own tea, and use fertilizer. Am I at risk for the same issues after processing the leaves? Additionally, would this then extend to cannabis as well? While they aren't leaves, I'm assuming that radium would end up t…
To your last question--as a severely amateur player in this one: tomato and tobacco are both nightshades so I imagine the growth of the leafing parts are similar in action.
Hopefully someone else will either correct me or elaborate.
Re: Radioactivity in Tobacco
#9"Toxic chemicals in tobacco smoke are the main reason cigarettes cause cancer, but radiation also may play a part." That's the best that EPA can do here? Is there really no data?
Re: Radioactivity in Tobacco
#10Is radium only present in tobacco fertilizers? What separates tobacco fertilizers from other plant fertilizers? Am I at risk for eating tomatoes grown with normal off-the-shelf fertilizer?
Tobacco is radioactive because the radioactive particles stick to the trichromes. Tomatoes don’t have trichromes, so no, unless you’re eating the leaves.