Abstract
We have read with great interest the paper which was published in Natural Science, 2014 issue number 6 titled “Estimation of annual effective dose due to ingestion of natural radionuclides in cattle in tin mining area of Jos Plateau, Nigeria” [1]. The paper motivated us to use state-of-the-art computational technique to investigate the risks of the tin mining activity in Jos-Plateau, Nigeria on large mammals (e.g. cattle). The Tier 2 Erica Tool assessment was used to estimate the total dose rate and risk quotients of these reference terrestrial animals. Our investigation revealed that the expected and conservative risk quotients of large mammals due to internal and external exposure to enhanced level of radioactivity are 0.05 and 0.16, respectively. Since the risk quotients are less than unity, this indicates that there is less than 5% probability that the screen dose rate (10 μGy•h–1) is exceeded. The estimated total dose rate to large mammals is 0.52 μGy•h–1 which is not statistically significant. A critical analysis of [1] is presented in the introductory part of this paper.
Highlights
The tin mining activities in the suburbs of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria have resulted in technical enhancement of the background natural radiation as well as higher activity concentrations of primordial radionuclides in the topsoil of mining sites and their environs
The first is the 10 μGy∙h−1 level that is considered of interest by those promoting the ERICA tool (e.g. Beresford, etc.); the ERICA universal dose rate is assumed for all ecosys
Since all risk quotients are less than unity, this indicates that there is less than 5% probability that the screen dose rate of 10 μGy∙h−1 is exceeded
Summary
The tin mining activities in the suburbs of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria have resulted in technical enhancement of the background natural radiation as well as higher activity concentrations of primordial radionuclides in the topsoil of mining sites and their environs. The study considered just five cattle that were slaughtered in a local abattoir believing the animals had grazed in fields and farmlands that have technically enhanced levels of radioactivity due to mining activities in the region. This is misleading because of the nomadic life style of herdsmen in Nigeria and West Africa. This would have helped the author in justifying the assumption that the dumping of mine tailings and the dispersion of excavated soil with enhanced radioactivity to some locations around the mining field would have influenced the activity concentrations in cattle from mining areas Another crucial factor that was overlooked by Ademola [1] was the age of the animals. Such a study is both timely and relevant given the growing international interest in the biological impacts of low dose radiation in the environment
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