Abstract
The radioactivity measurements in food crops and their diet derivatives and farm soil samples from Abeokuta, one of the elevated background radiation areas in Nigeria have been carried out in order to determine the concentration levels of natural radionuclides (40K, 226Ra and 232Th). The activity concentrations of the natural radionuclides in the samples were determined via gamma-ray spectrometry using a 76 mm × 76 mm NaI(Tl) detector. Different common food crops representing the major sources of dietary requirements to the local population were collected for the measurements. The collected food crops were prepared into their different derivable composite diets using preparation techniques locale to the population. Using available food consumption data and the activity concentrations of the radionuclides, the ingestion effective doses were evaluated for the food crops and diet types per preparation techniques. For the tuberous food crop samples, the annual ingestion effective doses in the raw and different composite diets were 0.02 - 0.04 μSv and cumulatively 0.04 - 0.05 μSv while in the non-tuberous crops the doses were 0.44 - 0.70 μSv and cumulatively greater than 1 μSv respectively. Results of the study indicate that method of diet preparation is seen to play a major role in population ingestion dose reduction especially for tuberous crops than in non-tuberous crops. The study also showed that more ingestion dose could be incurred in diets prepared by roasting techniques. The result of the study will serve as a useful radiometric data for future epidemiological studies in the area and for food safety regulations and policy implementations in the country.
Highlights
Natural radioactive elements are transferred and recycled through natural processes and between the various environmental compartments by entering into ecosystems and human food chains
The activity concentrations of the radionuclides in the different food crops and their local food derivatives are presented in Table 3 for Cassava, Table 4 for Yam, Tables 5 and 6 for Plantain and Maize respectively
Each experiment was carried out for each food crops obtained from different farms in order to determine the consistency of variations in addition or reduction of activity concentrations of the radionuclides for each preparation techniques
Summary
Natural radioactive elements are transferred and recycled through natural processes and between the various environmental compartments by entering into ecosystems and human food chains. Foods may be contaminated to some extent as a result of deposition of radionuclides on food crops or on pasture. Radioactive contamination of the environment may result in the increased radiation exposure of human beings due to ingestion of radionuclides in food. In the chain of transfer processes which leads from the deposition of radionuclides onto soils and plant surfaces to their presence in the diet, food processing and the various methods of food preparation are the last processes which can affect the radionuclide content of foodstuffs. Man’s ingestion of radioactive materials may result from drinking contaminated water in the environment
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