Are farmers and rural communities in parts of Kogi State exposed to concerning levels of environmental radiation?
This study examined ambient gamma radiation levels across 20 farmland sites in four local government areas of Kogi State, Nigeria.
Measurements were taken using a portable radiation survey meter, while GPS was used to record the coordinates of each sampling point.
The researchers calculated average radiation levels and several radiological health-risk indicators, including absorbed dose rate, annual effective dose rate, radium equivalent activity, external and internal hazard indices, and excess lifetime cancer risk.
The mean annual radiation level across the study areas was 1.4833 mSv per year, with recorded values ranging from 0.8766 to 2.279 mSv per year.
The highest radiation value was observed in Ajaokuta.
The mean absorbed dose rate was 79.4447 ± 12.87 nGy/h, while the mean annual effective dose rate was 0.0975 ± 0.02 mSv.
The mean radium equivalent activity was 174.7444 ± 30.89 Bq/kg, while the external and internal hazard indices were 0.4720 ± 0.08 and 0.6147 ± 0.10, respectively.
The mean excess lifetime cancer risk was estimated at 0.3412 ± 0.06 × 10⁻³.
Comparison with international radiation-protection benchmarks suggests that farmers and rural residents in the study areas are not currently exposed to radiation levels that pose an immediate health threat.
However, some isolated locations recorded elevated readings, indicating the need for continued monitoring to reduce possible long-term exposure risks.
The findings provide baseline radiometric information for agricultural areas in Kogi State and highlight the importance of sustained environmental radiation monitoring in farming communities.
📖 Read the full article here:
https://doi.org/10.61298/pnspsc.2026.3.291
Published in: Proceedings of the Nigerian Society of Physical Sciences