Evaluation of Radioactivity Contents and Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk Due to Ingestion from Natural Radionuclides in Maize Samples from Some Selected Maize Farms in Ekiti State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study was carried out to evaluate the radioactivity concentrations of 40K, 232Th and 238U in five maize samples collected from maize farms within Ekiti State, Nigeria. The activity concentration measurements were determined using n – type co-axial HPGe detectors for the state. The activity concentrations were found to vary from 994.67 – 2457.01 Bq Kg-1 for 40K, 32.84 – 91.88 Bq kg-1 for 232Th and 43.21 – 97.77 Bq kg-1 for 238U respectively. The annual effective dose to individuals from the consumption of the Maize was estimated on the basis of the measured radionuclides content in the food crop which ranged between 0.41 and 1.51 m Svy-1 respectively. The value1.04 m Svy-1 were obtained for the state as the mean total annual effective dose. The mean excess life time cancer risk was also calculated to be 2.06x10-9. The value was compared with the internationally acceptable limits and found to be far less to the maximum permissible dose of 1.0 x10-3 recommended for the public by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. Hence, the maize was found to be safe for human consumption.

Country : Nigeria

1 Arije O. T.2 Olusegun A. F.3 Olowoyeye O. O.

  1. Department of Science Laboratory, Federal Polytechnic, Ile Oluji, Ondo State, Nigeria
  2. Department of Science Laboratory, Federal Polytechnic, Ile Oluji, Ondo State, Nigeria
  3. Department of Science Laboratory, Federal Polytechnic, Ile Oluji, Ondo State, Nigeria

IRJIET, Volume 8, Issue 10, October 2024 pp. 17-24

doi.org/10.47001/IRJIET/2024.810004

References

  1. RMP. (1997). Radiation measurement and protection handbook on environmental radioactivity from natural, industrial and military sources, Eisenbud, M and Gesell T. Academic Press, Inc.
  2. Young, H.D., & Freedman, R.A.(2004). University Physics.11th edition, Pearson Education Incorporation, Addison Wesley. San Francisco, CA. USA Pp1679.
  3. UNSCEAR (2000). United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation UNSCEAR, “Sources, effects and risks of ionizing radiation, Report to the general Assembly with Annex B”. New York: United Nations Pg 140.
  4. WHO. (2009): Handbook on indoor radon. A public Health Perspective, WHO Press, Switzerland.
  5. Tawaibeh, A.A; Abumurad K.M; Samat. S.B & Yasir M.S. (2011). A study of natural radionuclide activities and radiation hazard index in some grain consumed in Jordan, Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences, Vol 15 No 1:61-69.
  6. Albrecht, A., Schultze, U., Liedgens, M., Fluhler, H. & Frossard E. (2002) “Incorporating soil structure and root distribution into plant uptake models for radionuclides: toward a more physically based transfer model”. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity 59: 329-350.
  7. Chang, Te –Tze. (2000): “Rice in the Cambridge world history food” Vol 1, Cambridge, England Cambridge University Press.
  8. Akingbala, J.O., Rooney, L.W., & Faubian, J.M. (1981). A laboratory Procedure for the Preparation of Ogi, a Nigerian fermented food J. Food Sci, 46-1523-1526.
  9. Cantral, R.P., & Reeves T.G. (2002): “The cereal of the world pour fakes center stage” science, 296:56.
  10. Bolca, M., Sac, M., Cokuysal, B., Kirali T., & E. Ekdal. (2007); Radioactivity in soils and various foodstuff from Gediz river basin Turkey. 263-270.
  11. Mlwilo, N.A. (2007). Radioactivity levels in staple foodstuff (Maize and Rice) and Dose estimate for the Tanzania population.
  12. Tchokossa, P., Olomo, J.B., Balogun, F.A., & Adesanmi, C.A.(2013) Assessment of Radioactivity Contents of Food in the Oil and Gas Producing Areas in Delta State, Nigeria. International Journal of Science and Technology. Vol 3 No 4.
  13. Uosif. A. El-Taher, G.E Abbady. (2008). Radiological significance beach sand used for climate therapy from safaga Egypt. Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 131, pp 331 – 339.
  14. Darko, E.O., A, Faanu, A.R., Awudu, G. Emi - Reynolds.(2008). Artificial and Natural Radioactivity Measurements and Radiation Dose Assessment in the Vicinity of Ghana Nuclear Research Reactor-1 (GHARR-1).West Africa Journal of Applied Ecology.vol.19.
  15. Till T.F., & Moore, R.E. (1998). A Pathway analysis approach for determining acceptable levels of contamination of radionuclides in Soil. Health Physics, pp 55.
  16. Badran, H.M., Sharshar T. & Elniner. (2003): levels of 137Cs and 40K in the edible parts of some vegetables consumed in Egypt Journal of Environment Radioactivity, 67:181-190.
  17. FAOSTAT (2012). Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations.
  18. FOS.(2006). Complication of FOS/FAO annual consumption data/food balance sheet of Nigeria. A publication of Federal Office of statistics (FOS), Nigeria.
  19. IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) (2011): Radiation protection and safety of radiation sources: International basic safety standards, IAEA Safety standards series no. GSR Part 3 (Interim) STI/PUB/1531, 190-219.
  20. US Environmental Protection Agency EPA, “Cancer risk coefficients for environmental exposure to radionuclides”, Federal Guidance Report No. 13 EPA (1999) 402-R-99-001.
  21. Jibiril N.N, Farai I.P & Alausa S.K, “Estimation of annual effective doses due to natural radioactive elements in ingestion of foodstuffs in tin mining area of Jos-plateau Nigeria”, Journal of Environmental Radioactivity 94(2007), 331-340.
  22. ICRP. (1991). “International Commission on Radiological Protection. Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. New York: Elsevier, ICRP Publication 60, Ann ICRP.1990; 21:1.
  23. Ajayi, O.S., Ibikunle S.B., Ojo T.J.(2008). An Assessment of natural radioactivity of soils and its external radiological impact in Southern Nigeria. Nigeria Journal of Health Physics, 94(6):558 – 566.
  24. Ayodele, A.E., Arogunjo A.M., Ajisafe J.I., & Arije O.T. (2017). Health Detriment Associated with Exposure to Natural Radioactivity from the soils of Ondo and Ekiti States, southwestern, Nigeria.
  25. Arogunjo, M.A., Holliegerl. V, Giussani A. (2009). “Uranium and Thorium in soil, mineral sands, water and food samples in a tin mining area in Nigeria with elevated activity” Nig. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 10:232.
  26. Awudu, A., Faanu, A., Darko, E., Emi-Reynolds, G.(2012). Preliminary studies on 226Ra, 228Ra, 228Th and 40K concentrations in foodstuffs consumed by inhabitants of Accra metropolitan area, Ghana. J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem. 291(3), 635–641.
  27. Vahid C., Elham S., & Mohammed R(2013). Measurement of 226Ra, 232Th, 137Cs and 40k activities of Wheat and Corn products in Llam Province in Iran and resultant annual ingestion radiation dose, Iranian Journal of Public health.
  28. Armed, M.A., Mohammed, A.M., Reda, E., and Elsayed, M. (2006). Transmission of Natural Radiation from Soil to Maize plants and Radiological Hazards Resulting from consumption in upper Egypt.  Journal of Physical Sciences, vol 27(3), 25 – 49.
  29. Hany., E., Maher, T.H., & Emran E.(2019). Evaluation of natural radioactivity levels in Soil and various foodstuffs from Delta Abyan, Yemen, Journal of radiation research and Applied Sciences: 12:1, 226 – 233.
  30. Yarima, M.H., Khandaker, M.U., Nadhiya A & Olatunji, M.A. (2019). Assessment of Natural Radioactivity in Maize and Estimation of Concomitant Dose to Nigerian via Ingestion Pathway. Published by Oxford University Press, Radiation Protection Dosimetry, pp.1–4.