Evaluation of the activity levels and the radiological hazards associated with the imported chemical and local organic fertilizers used in Ethiopia

IF 2.6 3区工程技术 Q1 NUCLEAR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Nuclear Engineering and Technology Pub Date : 2025-04-24 DOI:10.1016/j.net.2025.103655

Alelign Worku Gedefaw, Tilahun Tesfaye Deressu

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

In this study, the activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K in fertilizer samples obtained from farmers and suppliers utilized in Ethiopia were measured using gamma-ray spectrometry with an HPGe detector. The highest average activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K were found as 45.8 ± 3.1 in nitrogen phosphorous compound (NP) fertilizers, 25.7 ± 3.0 in organic fertilizers, and 799.5 ± 64.9 in organic fertilizers Bq/kg, respectively, and the corresponding lowest average values were found as 17.4 ± 2.4 in organic fertilizers, 14.3 ± 1.8 in urea, and 135.1 ± 6.6 in urea Bq/kg, respectively. The average activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra in NP fertilizers and ⁴⁰K in animal fertilizers were higher than the Earth's crust average values of 32 and 412 Bq/kg for ²²⁶Ra, and ⁴⁰K respectively. Radiological hazard indicator parameters, such as the radium equivalent activity (Ra_eq), outdoor absorbed dose rates (D_out), outdoor annual effective doses (AED_out), outdoor excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR_out), external hazard index (H_ex), internal hazard index (H_in), alpha index (I_α), and annual gonadal dose equivalent (AGDE), were estimated in both chemical and organic fertilizer samples. The resulting average values were within the range of the international dose safety limit of fertilizers.

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评估与埃塞俄比亚使用的进口化学肥料和当地有机肥料有关的活动水平和辐射危害

在本研究中，利用伽马射线能谱仪和HPGe探测器测量了埃塞俄比亚农民和供应商提供的肥料样品中226Ra、232Th和40K的活性浓度。氮磷复合肥料中226Ra、232Th和40K的平均活性浓度最高分别为45.8±3.1、25.7±3.0和799.5±64.9 Bq/kg，最低分别为17.4±2.4、14.3±1.8和135.1±6.6 Bq/kg。NP肥料中226Ra的平均活度浓度和动物肥料中40K的平均活度浓度分别高于地壳中226Ra和40K的32和412 Bq/kg。评估了化学肥料和有机肥料样品的放射性危害指标参数，如镭当量活度（Raeq）、室外吸收剂量率（Dout）、室外年有效剂量（AEDout）、室外超额终身癌风险（ELCRout）、外部危害指数（Hex）、内部危害指数（Hin）、α指数（Iα）和年度性腺剂量当量（AGDE）。所得平均值均在国际肥料剂量安全限值范围内。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Nuclear Engineering and Technology 工程技术-核科学技术

CiteScore

4.80

自引率

7.40%

发文量

431

审稿时长

3.5 months

期刊介绍： Nuclear Engineering and Technology (NET), an international journal of the Korean Nuclear Society (KNS), publishes peer-reviewed papers on original research, ideas and developments in all areas of the field of nuclear science and technology. NET bimonthly publishes original articles, reviews, and technical notes. The journal is listed in the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) of Thomson Reuters. NET covers all fields for peaceful utilization of nuclear energy and radiation as follows: 1) Reactor Physics 2) Thermal Hydraulics 3) Nuclear Safety 4) Nuclear I&C 5) Nuclear Physics, Fusion, and Laser Technology 6) Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Radioactive Waste Management 7) Nuclear Fuel and Reactor Materials 8) Radiation Application 9) Radiation Protection 10) Nuclear Structural Analysis and Plant Management & Maintenance 11) Nuclear Policy, Economics, and Human Resource Development