SEASONAL VARIATIONS OF TRACE ELEMENTS AND RADIO-ACTIVITY CONCENTRATIONS IN RAW COW'S MILK SAMPLES COLLECTED FROM WEST THRACE REGION, TURKEY

In the present study, trace elements and radioactivity levels were investigated in raw cow's milk samples collected seasonally from villages of Havsa, Hayrabolu, Malkara and Uzunkopru towns of West Thrace region in Turkey. The element concentrations were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS), and mean values of Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn were found to be 10.0 +/- 1.2, 51.5 +/- 5.0, 5.7 +/- 1.1, 51.2 +/- 6.3, 257.0 +/- 43.6, 43.3 +/- 10.0, 120 +/- 31, and 4187 +/- 162 mu g kg(-1), respectively. The activity concentrations of (232)Th, (238)U, (137)Cs and (40)K in the raw cow's milk were measured by using gamma spectrometry with high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector. (232)Th, (238)U, and (137)Cs were found to be under limit of detection whereas 40K was detected in all samples. The mean activity concentrations of (40)K were 47.0 +/- 1.3 Bq kg(-1). No significant variation could be observed among seasons and towns with regard to the trace element and radionuclide contents of the milk samples.