:: Volume 20, Issue 3 (7-2022) ::
Int J Radiat Res 2022, 20(3): 671-678 Back to browse issues page
Evaluation of activity concentration of natural radionuclides and lifetime cancer risk in soil samples at two tertiary institutions in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria
B.C. Eke , U.M. Ukewuihe , I.R. Akomolafe
Department of Physical Sciences, Faculty of Natural Science, Redeemer's University, Ede, Nigeria , idowurakomolafe@gmail.com
Abstract:   (786 Views)
Background: Environmental radioactivity measurement of soil samples from the densely populated community has become imperative considering the radiological exposure associated with primordial radionuclides. Materials and Method: Sixty soil samples were collected at different locations within Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education (AIFCE) and Federal Polytechnic Nekede (FPN), Owerri. Radioactivity measurements were carried out by the method of gamma-ray spectrometry with thallium doped sodium iodide [NaI(Tl)] detector. Results: The mean activity concentrations of 88.41±1.51, 20.69±3.56 and 25.04±0.71 Bqkg-1 for 40K, 226Ra and 232Th, respectively, were obtained in soil samples of AIFCE, while 92.97±1.50, 20.48±3.21 and 22.36±0.70 Bqkg-1 for 40K, 226Ra and 232Th, respectively, were obtained in soil samples of FPN. These values are below the average world value of 420, 32 and 45 Bqkg-1 for 40K, 226Ra and 232Th, respectively, as recorded in UNSCEAR 2000 report. The calculated absorbed dose, annual effective dose and other radiological hazard indices were below the recommended safe limit. The mean calculated values of the excess lifetime cancer risk for AIFCE and FPN are 0.12±0.03 and 0.11±0.03, respectively. Conclusion: Based on the results from the present study, it is evidence that the activity concentrations and other radiological parameters are within the world’s safe limit, indicating that soil samples from the AIFCE and FPN, Owerri are free from radioactive contamination and do not pose a threat to the two communities.
Keywords: Radiological risks, natural radioactivity, soil samples, Nigeria.
Full-Text [PDF 2070 kb]   (698 Downloads)    
Type of Study: Original Research | Subject: Radiation Biology
References
1. UNSCEAR (2000) United Nations Scientific Committee on the effect of Atomic Radiation: Exposures from natural radiation sources. Report to General Assembly, with Scientific Annexes. United Nations, New York
2. Ramasamy V, Suresh G, Meenakshisundaram V, Gajendran V (2009) Evaluation of natural radionuclide content in river sediments and excess lifetime cancer risk due to gamma radioactivity. Res J Environ Earth Sci, 1: 6-10.
3. Taskin, H, Karavus M, Ay P, Topuzoglu A, Hindiroglu S, Karahan G (2009) Radionuclide concentrations in soil and lifetime cancer risk due to the gamma radioactivity in Kirklareli, Turkey. J Environmental Radioactivity, 100: 49-53. [DOI:10.1016/j.jenvrad.2008.10.012] [PMID]
4. Emelue HU, Jibiri NN, Eke BC (2014) Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk due to Gamma Radiation in and Around Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company in Niger Delta, Nigeria. British Journal of Medicine & Medical Research, 4(13): 2590-2598. [DOI:10.9734/BJMMR/2014/7180]
5. Brenner JD and Sachs RK (2006) Estimating radiation-induced cancer risk at very low doses: rationale for using a linear no-threshold approach. Radiation Environ Biology, 44: 253-256. [DOI:10.1007/s00411-006-0029-4] [PMID]
6. Ibrahim FA and Mohammad IA (2009) Soil radioactivity levels and radiation hazard assessment in the highlands of Northern Jordan. Radiation Measurements, 44: 102-110. [DOI:10.1016/j.radmeas.2008.11.005]
7. Mehta R, Badhan K, Sonkawade RG, kansal S, Singh S (2010) Analysis of terrestrial natural radionuclides in soil samples and assessment of average effective dose. Indian Journal of Pure and Applied Physics, 48: 805-808.
8. Eke BC, Jibiri NN, Anusionwu BC, Orji CE, Emelue HU (2015) Baseline Measurements of natural radioactivity in soil samples from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, South-East, Nigeria. British J Applied Sciences & Technology, 5(2): 142 -149. [DOI:10.9734/BJAST/2015/12171]
9. Obed RI, Farai IP, Jibiri NN (2005) Population dose distribution due to soil radioactivity concentration levels in 18 cities across. Nigeria J Radiol Prot, 25: 305-312. [DOI:10.1088/0952-4746/25/3/007] [PMID]
10. Jibiri NN and Akomolafe IR (2016). Radiological assessment and geochemical characterization of the sediments of Awba Dam, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Radiat Prot Environ, 39: 222-32. [DOI:10.4103/0972-0464.199972]
11. Jibiri NN and Emelue HU (2008) Soil radionuclide concentrations and radiological assessment in and around a refining and petrochemical company in Warri, Niger Delta, Nigeria. Journal of Radiological Protection, 28: 361-368. [DOI:10.1088/0952-4746/28/3/006] [PMID]
12. Beretka J and Matthew PJ (1985) Natural radioactivity of Australian building materials, industrial waste, and by-products. Health Physics, 48: 87-95. [DOI:10.1097/00004032-198501000-00007] [PMID]
13. Farai IP, Obed RI, Jibiri NN (2006) Soil radioactivity and incidence of cancer in Nigeria. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 90: 29-36. [DOI:10.1016/j.jenvrad.2006.06.003] [PMID]
14. Jibiri NN and Okeyode I (2011) Activity concentrations of natural radionuclides in the sediments of Ogun River, Southwestern Nigeria. Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 147(4): 555-64. [DOI:10.1093/rpd/ncq579] [PMID]
15. Nwankwo CU, Ogundare FO, Folley DE (2015) Radioactivity concentration variation with depth and assessment of worker's doses in selected mining sites. J Radiat Res Appl Sci, 8: 216-220. [DOI:10.1016/j.jrras.2015.01.004]
16. UNSCEAR (1988) United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effect of Atomic Radiation Sources, effects and risks of ionizing radiation report to the general assembly with annexes. United States publication E88ix 17 (United Nations) New York.
17. Ridha AA and Hasan HA (2016) Cancer Risk Due to the Natural Radioactivity in Cigarette Tobacco. Detection, 4: 54-65. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/detection.2016.43008. [DOI:10.4236/detection.2016.43008]
18. International Commission on Radiological Protection, ICRP (1991). Series Report of the 1990 recommendations of the ICRP, Publication No. 60. Ann. ICRP, 21: 1-3. [DOI:10.1016/0146-6453(91)90066-P]
19. Kolo MT, Amin YM, Khandaker MU, Abdullah WHB (2017) Radionuclide concentrations and excess lifetime cancer risk due to gamma radioactivity in tailing enriched soil around Maiganga coalmine, Northeast Nigeria. Int J Radiat Res, 15 (1): 71-80.
20. Egunyinka OA, Olowookere CJ, Jibiri NN, Babalola IA, Obed RI (2009) An evaluation of 238U, 40K, and 232Th concentrations in the top soil of the university of Ibadan (UI), Southwestern Nigeria. The Pacific Journal of Science and Technology, 10: 742-752.
21. Suresh GM, Ravisankar R, Rajalakshmi A, Sivakumar S, Chandrasekaran A, Anand DP (2014) Measurements of natural gamma radiation in beach sediments of north east coast of Tamilnadu, India by gamma-ray spectrometry with multivariate statistical approach. J Radiat Res Appl Sci, 7(1): 7-17. [DOI:10.1016/j.jrras.2013.11.001]
22. Ugbede FO, Okoye ONN, Akpolile AF, Oladele BB (2021) Baseline Radioactivity in the Soil of Evangel Take-Off Campus, Evangel University, Nigeria, and its Associated Health Risks. Chemistry Africa, 4: 703-713. [DOI:10.1007/s42250-021-00254-8]
23. Arafa W (2004) Specific activity and hazards of granite samples collected from the Eastern Desert of Egypt. J Environ Radioact, 75(3): 315-327. [DOI:10.1016/j.jenvrad.2004.01.004] [PMID]
24. Avwiri GO and Ononugbo CP (2012) Natural radioactivity levels in surface soil of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni oil and gas fields. Energy Sci Technol, 4(2): 92-101.
25. Gbadamosi MR, Banjoko OO, Abudu KA, Ogunbanjo OO, Ogunneye AL (2017) Radiometric evaluation of excessive lifetime cancer probability due to naturally occurring radionuclides in wastes dumpsites soils in Agbara, Southwest, Nigeria. J Assoc Arab Uni Basic Appl Sci, 24: 315-324. [DOI:10.1016/j.jaubas.2017.06.003]
26. Ali MMM, Zhao H, Rawashdeh A, Mohammed YA, Al Hassan M (2021) Assessment of radiation hazard indices for sand samples from Ma'rib in Yemen. Int J Radiat Res, 19(3): 615-623. [DOI:10.52547/ijrr.19.3.615]
27. Aladeniyi K, Olowookere C, Oladele BB (2019) Measurement of natural radioactivity and radiological hazard evaluation in the soil samples collected from Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria. J Radiat Res Appl Sci, 12(1): 200-209. [DOI:10.1080/16878507.2019.1593675]
28. Olagbaju PO, Okeyode IC, Alatise OO, Bada BS (2021) Background radiation level measurement using hand-held dosimeter and gamma spectrometry in Ijebu-Ife, Ogun State Nigeria. Int J Radiat Res, 19(3): 591-598. [DOI:10.52547/ijrr.19.3.591]
29. Akpan AE, Paul ND, Uwah EJ (2016) Ground radiometric investigation of natural radiation levels and their radiological effects in Akpabuyo, Nigeria. J Afr Earth Sci, 123: 185-192. [DOI:10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2016.07.023]
30. Zhou Z, Yang Z, Sun Z, Liao Q, Guo Y, Chen J (2020) Multidimensional pollution and potential ecological and health risk assessments of radionuclides and metals in the surface soils of a uranium mine in East China. J Soils Sediments, 20: 775-791. [DOI:10.1007/s11368-019-02428-x]
31. Sivakumar R (2014) An assessment of natural radioactivity levels and radiation hazards in the soil of Coonoor, South India. Environ Earth Sci, 72: 5063-5071. [DOI:10.1007/s12665-014-3375-6]
32. Ebaid YY, El-Tahawy MS, El-Lakany AA, Garcia SR, Brooks GH (2000) Environmental radioactivity measurements of Egyptian soils. J Radioanal Nucl Chem, 243(2): 543-550. [DOI:10.1023/A:1016075508765]
33. Mohammed NK and Mazunga MS (2013) Natural radioactivity in soil and water from Likuyu village in the neighborhood of Mkuju uranium deposit. Int J Analyt Chem, 2013: 501856. [DOI:10.1155/2013/501856] [PMID] []
34. Taqi AH, Shaker AM, Battawy AA (2018) Natural radioactivity assessment in soil samples from Kirkuk city of Iraq using HPGe detector. Int J Radiat Res, 16(4): 455-463.



XML     Print



Rights and permissions
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Volume 20, Issue 3 (7-2022) Back to browse issues page