Natural radionuclide transfer from soil to plants in high background areas in Oyo state, Nigeria

Abstract

The activity concentrations of naturally-occurring radioactive materials present in soil, vegetables, and food crops and their transfer factor (TF) in some high background areas of northern parts of Oyo state, Nigeria, were measured using gamma spectrometry. The average concentration of226Ra,228Ra, and40K in soil is 25.3 ± 7.1, 26.2 ± 5.0 and 381.8 ± 16.0 Bq/kg, respectively in Agbaaru; 25.4 ± 3.1, 39.5 ± 3.8, and 401.9 ± 25.4 Bq/kg in Abuja; 26.5 ± 3.3, 39.2 ± 7.4, and 394.9 ± 18.6 Bq/kg in Arget; and 26.5 ± 3.5, 38.8 ± 2.5, and 389 ± 18.6 Bq/kg in Igbeti. The soil-to-vegetables TF for226Ra,228Ra, and40K is 0.123, 0.058, and 0.215, respectively, in Agbaaru; 0.065, 0.040, and 0.185 in Abuja; 0.093, 0.035, and 0.243 in Arget; and 0.080, 0.050, and 0.265 in Igbeti. Furthermore, the TF from soil to food crops is within the recommended value. Therefore, consumption of these vegetables and food crops will not pose any radiation health concerns to the consumers and the general population.