Activity concentration of radiocesium (¹³⁷Cs) in chicken eggs

Sample of chicken eggs from Desi birds were analysed for the concentration of ¹³⁷Cs, a radionuclide having a high degree of food chain transport. The activity concentration in different batches ranged from 3.5±0.08 Bq/Kg to 11.48±O.38 Bq/Kg with a mean of 7.84±2.71 Bq/Kg fresh weight. The rediocesium concentration per egg of different batches were found to range between 0.23±0.01 Bq and 0.77±0.03 Bq with a mean of 0.52±0.l8 Bq. These values were found to be of very low order and ingestion of soil for a relatively long period is assumed to be the major route of entry of the radionuclide into the eggs.