Soil-to-crop transfer of natural radionuclides in farm soil of South Africa

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
Abiola Olawale Ilori, Naven Chetty

Abstract

The activity concentration of natural radionuclides in farm soil and most common indigenous food crops (maize, potato, cowpea) in oil-producing (Philippi, Uitenhage, and Hertenbos farms) and non-oil-producing (Ukulinga farm) areas of South Africa was measured using a Hyper Pure Germanium detector. Consequently, the transfer of these radionuclides from soil-to-crops was estimated. The mean activity concentration of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K for farm soil samples are 30.71 ± 11.77, 31.97 ± 8.90, 345.97 ± 98.62 Bq.kg-1 for Philippi; 18.67 ± 6.70, 31.55 ± 11.48, 191.93 ± 33.39 Bq.kg-1 for Uitenhage; 38.03 ± 17.44, 41.18 ± 31.54, 381.89 ± 163.40 Bq.kg-1 for Hartenbos; and 8.47 ± 2.87, 8.65 ± 3.52, 94.22 ± 25.97 ± 25.97 Bq.kg-1 for Ukulinga. The mean activity concentration of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K for crop samples are 4.54 ± 1.47, 4.87 ± 1.69, 140.18 ± 35.38 Bq.kg-1 for Philippi; 9.17 ± 4.79, 3.85 ± 1.87, 136.75 ± 22.04 Bq.kg-1 for Uitenhage; 7.97 ± 2.91, 4.62 ± 2.40, 105.97 ± 48.65 Bq.kg-1 for Hartenbos; and 4.23 ± 1.63, 2.72 ± 1.19, 48.36 ± 15.55 Bq.kg-1 for Ukulinga. The activity concentration and soil-to-crop transfer factors for 40K were found to be much higher, possibly because this element is critical in crop growth. The results s...Continue Reading

References

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May 11, 2015·Environmental Monitoring and Assessment·Godfred DarkoOpoku Gyamfi

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Citations

Apr 4, 2021·Journal of Environmental Radioactivity·Fredrick Oghenebrorie Ugbede, Okhuomaruyi David Osahon

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