Environmental and Health Impacts: Presence of Radionuclides and Toxic Metals in Mining Areas in Niger State, Nigeria

The distribution of radionuclides and heavy metals (carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic) in soil and plants grown in lead contaminated areas were determined using gamma spectrometry and AAS (Atomic Absorption Spectrometry). The values of Dout (outdoor dose rate) and Din (indoor dose rate) were found to vary from 49.10 to 96.59 nGy h-1 with a mean value of 73.75 nGy h-1 and 97.30 to 191.67 nGy h-1 with a mean value of 143.39 nGy h-1 for Kawo; 51.64 to 105.26 nGy h-1 with a mean value of 75.36 nGy h-1 and 104.43 to 205. 87 nGy h-1 with a mean value of 157.13 nGy h-1 for Magiro. The weighted mean concentrations of Pb, Cu, Fe, Cr, Cd and Ni in mg kg-1 in soil and crop were (2.20,2.29), (3.14, 0.16), (15.10, 19.33), (0.16, 0.25), (0.24, 0.05), (0.43, 0.06) and (3.00, 3.18), (6.09, 0.34), (16.83, 10.10), (0.22,0.36), (0.25, 0.05), (0.43, 0.06) for Kawo and Magiro respectively. The total incremental lifetime cancer risk ΣILCR for both adults (0.73 x 10-2) and children (1.03 x 10-2) were above tolerable acceptable risk (given as 1 x 10-6 to 1 x 10-4). Therefore, the areas need remedial action and proper monitoring.