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Assessment of Radiological Risks of Chemical Fertilizer Use in Uganda |
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PP: 231-240 |
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doi:10.18576/jrna/110306
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Author(s) |
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Bosco Oruru,
Joseph Atine,
Gertrude Ayugi,
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Abstract |
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| Modern agriculture relies heavily on fertilizer use to boost crop productivity. In Uganda, agricultural households using chemical fertilizers average 47 kg/acre and 36 kg/acre in the first and second seasons, respectively. While urea and DAP dominate the market, NPK and calcium ammonium nitrate are actively traded. Although chemical fertilizers are essential for agricultural productivity and food security, they may contain radioactive elements - such as thorium and uranium- and their decay products - which may accumulate in soil, crops, and the food chain, posing health risks. In this study, radioactivity levels of chemical fertilizers used in Uganda are determined, and the associated radiological risks assessed. Fertilizer samples have been analyzed using gamma spectrometry – NaI (Tl) detector and MAESTRO software utilised. High activity levels of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K are found in some DAP and NPK samples. The highest mean levels obtained are 67 Bq kg-1 (226Ra) and 28 Bq kg-1 (232Th) in DAP, and 589 Bq kg-1 (40K) in NPK, making 226Ra and 40K exceed the global limits. The absorbed dose is below the global limit of 59 nGy h-1, but the outdoor annual effective dose (in some cases) exceeds the limit of 0.07 mSv y-1. The mean radium equivalent activity is below 370 Bq kg-1, while the internal and external hazard indices are below unity. A strong correlation has been observed between the radiological risk parameters. Although the radiological risk parameters indicate that fertilizer use in Uganda does not pose many health risks, too much use of DAP and NPK can lead to increased radiation exposure to farm workers and the nearby population. Eventually, prolonged exposure may result in radiation-related diseases, for example, cancer. |
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