Naturally Occurring Radionuclides Assessment in Soils of Cassava Mills within the Sedimentary Terrains of Southwestern Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62292/njtep.v3i2.2025.75Keywords:
Activity concentration, Cassava mills, Ilaro, Radionuclide, SoilsAbstract
The assessment of naturally occurring radionuclides in soils, which serve as their primary reservoir, provides essential insights into the soil conditions, offering a detailed understanding of the radionuclides sources, distribution patterns, and potential impacts on both the environment and human health. The activity concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides Uranium-238 (238U), Thorium-232 (232Th), and Potassium-40 (40K) in representative soil samples obtained from five cassava processing mills (Double Crown, Ekueme, Olorungbogo, Olalandu, and Akewe) in Ilaro metropolis, Southwestern Nigeria, were assessed. Twenty (20) soil samples were collected, air dried, sieved, kept for twenty-eight days, and analyzed using a Sodium Iodide Scintillation NaI(TI) detector. The results revealed the highest mean activity concentrations of 40K in Ekueme, Olorungbogo, Olalandu, and Akewe samples, while Double Crown revealed the highest mean activity concentrations of 238U. Akewe samples showed the highest activity concentrations for all the natural radionuclides, although the values were within permissible limits. The Double Crown, Ekuneme, Olorungbogo, and Olalandu samples had values within the same range and at permissible background radiation levels. Also, the established radium equivalents, absorbed dose rates, annual effective dose equivalents, and external and internal indices for the complete set of soil samples were all below the recommended values. The parameters indicated a low radiation burden on the environment, ensuring the safety of the study area's inhabitants.
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