Nuclear Engineering and Technology (Jul 2023)
Radiometric examination of fertilizers and assessment of their health hazards, commonly used in Pakistan
Abstract
The radioactivity concentrations of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) i.e., 226Ra, 232Th, and 4 K in various chemical fertilizers being used in the agricultural soil of Pakistan were determined utilizing gamma spectrometry by employing a High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detector. The radioactivity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, and 4 K extended from 2.58 ± 0.8–265.7 ± 8.8 Bq kg−1, 1.53 ± 0.14–76.6 ± 1.07 Bq kg−1 and 36.5 ± 1.34–15606.7 ± 30.2 Bq kg−1 respectively. The radiological hazard parameters such as internal and external indices and annual effective dose rates were calculated, while excessive lifetime cancer risk factors for the indoor and outdoor areas were found in the range from 0.3 × 10−3 to 10.723 × 10−3 and 0.03 × 10−3 to 2.7948 × 10−3 of most fertilizers, however, some values were slightly higher than the UNSCEAR (The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation) recommended values for potash-containing fertilizers such as MOP (Muriate of Potash).
