Sweden is leveraging its citizens' foraging traditions to trace lingering radioactive fallout from the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. The Swedish Radiation Safety Authority has appealed to mushroom-pickers to submit newly collected fungi samples for Cesium-137 testing so that it can map remaining radioactive contamination in the mushrooms. Cesium-137, a key component of the fallout with a half-life of 30 years, poses potential health risks due to its accumulation in the body over time.
Sweden, with over 60% forest coverage, has a robust foraging culture, particularly in late summer when people collect berries, mushrooms, and plants. The authority requests foragers to provide the locations of their finds, although the exact spots of the prized golden chanterelle, known as "the gold of the forest mushroom," can remain undisclosed. "It doesn't have to be the exact location of the most secret chanterelle spot," said Pål Andersson from the Radiation Safety Authority.
Mushroom-pickers are instructed to send in double-bagged samples weighing at least 100 grams fresh or 20 grams dried that have been picked in 2024. The safety authority has not indicated when the research results will be available. Sweden was notably the first country to detect radioactive fallout post-Chernobyl, prompting Soviet disclosure of the event. This initiative follows similar findings in Europe, where radioactive contamination in wild animals like boars has been observed in regions such as the Czech Republic, Austria, and Germany. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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