2025/12/03 by Geremew, Hailu, Ayele, Getaneh, Mekonnen, Yimam
#Cereals #Fertilizer #Gamma-spectrometer #Health-hazards #Radionuclide #Soil #Transfer.
paper · doi:10.20372/ajst.2023.8.2.819
The concentration of natural radionuclides in samples of agricultural soil, fertilizers and cereal types commonly used in Ethiopia and collected from Holeta Agricultural Research Center were measured using gamma ray spectrometry coupled to HPGe detector. Following the measurements, the transfer of natural radionuclides (U-238, Th-232, and K-40) from the agricultural field to identified cereal types was also investigated. The average activity concentrations in samples of agricultural soil are 46.44±6.68 Bq.kg-1, 94.66±13.98 Bq.kg-1, and 368.88±51.76 Bq.kg-1 and in fertilizer samples 38.5±4.15 Bq.kg-1, 87.6±9.36 Bq.kg-1, and 334.0±35.58 Bq.kg-1 for U-238, Th-232, and K-40, respectively. The related radiological health hazards and radiation indices in the samples of soil and fertilizer were figured and compared with the prescribed limits set by the concerned committees (UNSCEAR, ICRP and WHO). According to this study, U-238 and Th-232 activity concentrations in samples of soil and fertilizer are above the prescribed limits, while K-40 is within the safety limit. Gamma radiation exposure from the soil samples and annual effective dose via ingestion of cereals can create a risk to the public and therefore solemn monitoring is required.