Potential Radiological Impacts of Phosphate Fertilizers Brands used in Southeast, Nigeria

Abstract

The radionuclides present in phosphate fertilizers used in Southeast Nigeria were identified and their activity concentration determined to assess the potential radiological impact on the environment due to fertilizer applications in agricultural farm lands. The radioactivity concentration of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K in the fertilizer samples range from 13.22±1.83 to 87.37±8.98 Bqkg^-1 for ²²⁶Ra (mean: 31.71±5.4 Bqkg^-1), 0.78±0.07 to 47.65±6.05 Bqkg^-1 for ²³²Th (mean: 10.88±3.06) and 575.07±18.08 to 1234.80±36.61 Bqkg^-1 for ⁴⁰K (mean 876.91±20.03 Bqkg^-1). The mean activity concentrations of the natural radionuclides of ²²⁶Ra and ²³²Th in the superphosphate fertilizer formulation were found to be above the world’s average. This will have potential health impact on humans if the fertilizers are applied in crops cultivation. The absorbed dose range from 31.01±0.03 to 75.11±0.49 nGyh^-1 (mean: 68.66±0.35 nGyh^-1). The super phosphate brand of fertilizer with the highest value of activity concentration has its value of annual effective dose as 0.08μ SvGyh^-1.