Department of Physics, Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria.
Department of Physics, Delta State University, Abraka, Delta State, Nigeria.
Environ Monit Assess. 2023 Oct 27;195(11):1385. doi: 10.1007/s10661-023-11992-2.
Internal exposure of public to radiation arising from ingestion of natural radionuclides in tuber crops of Ebonyi State origin was investigated in this study. Committed effective doses and lifetime cancer risk of K, Ra, and Th in cassava, cocoyam, water yam, and white yam were calculated. The average activity concentrations of K, Ra, and Th determined by gamma spectrometric Na (TI) detector were, respectively, 199.15 ± 23.51, 77.57 ± 7.98, and 118.20 ± 10.72 Bq/kg in cassava; 146.62 ± 40.69, 43.42 ± 7.63, and 75.61 ± 2.89 Bq/kg in cocoyam; 162.81 ± 20.43, 63.17 ± 11.36, and 81.50 ± 10.27 Bq/kg in water yam; and 184.50 ± 20.22, 80.23 ± 10.93, and 116.29 ± 5.93 Bq/kg in white yam. The total committed effective dose via ingestion aligned in this order of cassava (7.05 mSv/year) > white yam (4.38 mSv/year) > water yam (0.42 mSv/year) > cocoyam (0.21 mSv/year) with overall average dose of 3.12 mSv/year. The values of dose were higher than world average of 0.29 mSv/year given by United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR). The lifetime cancer risk values were above tolerance level of >10 prescribed by United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), suggesting probable evolvement of radiogenic cancer morbidity. The data presented in this study contributes to baseline information on radiological characteristics of tuber crops in Ebonyi, which would be valuable to WHO/FAO food safety policy in Nigeria and rest of the world.
本研究调查了源于埃博尼州的块茎作物的内照射对公众的辐射暴露，这些作物中的天然放射性核素有钾、镭和钍。通过伽马能谱 Na(TI)探测器计算了木薯、蕉芋、山药和白薯中的钾、镭和钍的有效剂量和终生癌症风险。γ能谱 Na(TI)探测器测定的钾、镭和钍的平均活度浓度分别为木薯中 199.15±23.51 Bq/kg、77.57±7.98 Bq/kg 和 118.20±10.72 Bq/kg；蕉芋中 146.62±40.69 Bq/kg、43.42±7.63 Bq/kg 和 75.61±2.89 Bq/kg；山药中 162.81±20.43 Bq/kg、63.17±11.36 Bq/kg 和 81.50±10.27 Bq/kg；白薯中 184.50±20.22 Bq/kg、80.23±10.93 Bq/kg 和 116.29±5.93 Bq/kg。经摄食摄入的总承诺有效剂量依次为木薯（7.05 mSv/年）>白薯（4.38 mSv/年）>山药（0.42 mSv/年）>蕉芋（0.21 mSv/年），总平均剂量为 3.12 mSv/年。这些数值高于联合国原子辐射效应科学委员会（UNSCEAR）给出的世界平均水平 0.29 mSv/年。终生癌症风险值高于美国环境保护署（USEPA）规定的 10 以上的耐受水平，表明可能会发生放射性癌症发病率增加。本研究提供的这些数据有助于了解埃博尼州块茎作物的放射性特征，这对世界卫生组织/粮农组织在尼日利亚和世界其他地区的食品安全政策具有重要价值。
