NATURAL RADIONUCLIDE CONCENTRATIONS, SOIL TO YAM TRANSFER FACTORS AND RADIOLOGICAL RISK EVALUATION OF YAM IN FERTILIZED FARMS OF AGBOR, DELTA STATE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.60787/jnamp.vol73no.740Keywords:
Radionuclide, fertilized farm soil, spectrometric system, radiological health riskAbstract
This study assessed the activity concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides (40K, 238U, and 232Th) in fertilized farm soils and yam tubers from Agbor and environs, Delta State, Nigeria, and evaluated the associated radiological health risks. Ten soil and ten yam samples were collected using stratified random sampling and analyzed with a NaI(Tl) gamma spectrometry system. Mean activity concentrations in soils were 590.77, 4.82, and 2.72 Bq kg⁻¹ for 40K, 238U, and 232Th, respectively, while corresponding values in yam were 444.55, 5.04, and 2.76 Bq kg⁻¹. Mean transfer factors were 0.75, 1.15, and 1.06, indicating the highest soil-to-yam transfer for uranium. Yam consumption hazards were significantly low except for excess lifetime cancer risk. Although fertilizer application contributed to radionuclide levels, current concentrations pose no significant radiological risk. Continuous environmental monitoring is recommended to detect long-term radionuclide accumulation.
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