Background Ionising Radiation and Estimated Health Risk in Cereal Farmland in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Abstract

Radionuclides are found in soils, plants, vegetables, fruits and in farmlands. These radionuclides contaminate the farmland, environment, the cereal, food products and could cause deleterious effect on both animals and human beings when ingested or inhaled. The farmland is owned by a government research institute with a mandate to develop improved varieties of some cereal plants. In situ measurement of the background ionising radiation was conducted with a radiation survey meter which measured the exposures in micro Seviert per hour and the expected health indicators risk on the workers evaluated.The mean BIR measured was obtained as 0.097µSv/hr. The annual equivalent dose rate of radiation obtained in the farm was range between 0.1033 to 0.3328 mSv/yr with a mean value of 0.1699 mSv/yr. The mean annual effective dose rate of 0.1190 mSv/yr was obtained while the mean calculated ECLR is 0.416 X 10^-3. The AEDR obtained in this study is lower than the international commission on radiation protection recommended safety limit for the public but higher than values from many works in dumpsites. The ECLR value for this work is higher than the recommended safe value, an indication of potential health risk for the workers and inhabitant of the farmland. Therefore regulatory controls are necessary which include workers spending fewer periods in the farmland and decontamination of the farm.

Keywords: Gamma radiation, occupational risk, Annual effective dose rate, National Cereal Institute, Uyo