Assessment of Activity Concentration of Radionuclides in Soil and Cassava Food Crop from Solid Mineral Mining Site in Ishiagu, Ivo L.G.A of Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Abstract

The assessment of activity of concentration of radionuclides in soil and food crops from solid mineral mining sites at Ishiagu, in Ivo L.G.A of Ebonyi State was carried out using the necessary measuring instruments. Samples of soil and cassava crop collected from around the mining sites. The samples were analysed using gamma ray spectrometry. The average activity concentration of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in soil samples were 12.37,16.08, and 144.29 Bqkg-1 while those for cassava were 2.81, 16.80, and 205.41 Bqkg-1. The soil/plant radionuclide transfer ratio estimated are 0.62, 2.43 and 2.51 for 226Ra, 232Th and 40K, respectively. All the radiological risk parameters estimated are relatively low. The result of this work showed that the obtained results for all samples were lower than the international accepted limit. Hence, from radiological health standpoint, the obtained values of effective doses may not pose significant threat to both human and the environment.