Radiological Safety Assessment of Agricultural Soil within the Bitumen Belt of Ondo State Nigeria, Using RESRAD-ONSITE and RESRAD-BIOTA Codes

Exploration and exploitation of bitumen can create radiation exposure pathways that must be considered in risk management scenarios. RESRAD-ONSITE RESRAD-BIOTA developed by the US Department Energy (US DOE) to assess contaminated sites, were used present study predict dose excess cancer associated with residual radioactive materials within Ondo State Bitumen Belt for duration 100 years, using site-specific parameters. The activity concentrations 40K, 232Th 238U soil samples determined gamma-spectrometry their average values 35.85, 3.27 5.01 BqKg-1 respectively. While estimated internal doses biota due 7.54E-06, 3.03E-07 4.55E-08 Gy d−1 respectively terrestrial animals, 6.69E-06, 3.68E-08 2.29E-08 plants, 6.49E-06, 5.88E-09 2.22E-08 08 Nigerian Dwarf Goat (NDG). maximum total 0.0229 mSvyr−1 was obtained at Agbabu t = 30 years an on-site resident farmer Code, while minimum 0.0014 Araromi years. These far lower than National Research Council's acceptable limit 0.25 mSvy-1. Likewise, Excess Cancer Risk (ECR) 0.050 × 10−3 Agbabu, lowest ECR value 0.015 x 10-3 shared three communities: Omotosho (OMO), Akotogbo (AKG), Ibekegbo (IKB). observed low risks all selected communities are less human health concern since they world safe 0.29 10-3. This implies utilization studied farming may not cause any immediate hazard inhabitant but prolonged might pose radiologically induced challenges.