Radioactive substance in banana fruit..scientists reveal its dangers

Two scientists from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Jian Saotian and Liao Jie, said that bananas may pose a very small health risk, because of the radioactive element they contain.

The researchers confirmed that the banana fruit, in addition to the usual harmless potassium, contains potassium-40, a source of ionizing radiation that negatively affects health.

However, the researchers added that the amount of this substance in bananas is small.

And they continued, "The radiation dose received from eating one banana is about 0.0778 microsieverts. This amount is very small. In comparison, a CT scan of the chest is equivalent to 70,000 bananas."

According to what was reported by "Russia Today" and "Novosti Agency" about the researchers, scientists from time to time use the "banana equivalent" to measure the radioactivity of the source.

For example, the maximum permissible effect of nuclear power plants is proportional to the consumption of 2.5 thousand bananas per year, and the lethal dose will be about 35 million.

The researchers added that radiation surrounds a person everywhere, especially during x-rays and computed tomography scans, as well as when smoking, as the polonium-210 and lead-210 found in tobacco are much more dangerous than bananas.

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