Correlations of activity concentration of naturally occurring radionuclides in some enviromental matrices with prevalence of cancer in Southwestern Nigeria
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Date
2016
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Physics and Engineering physics,Obafemi Awolowo University
Abstract
The study obtained the distribution of cancer prevalence in some part of Southwestern Nigeria, determined the activity concentration and radiological parameters of naturally occurring gamma emitters in some environmental matrices from the selected area in the region, established an association between cancer prevalence and radiological parameters and correlated the reported cancer prevalence with other variables such as occupation and age of patients. This was with a view to correlating cancer prevalence with the geographical distribution of patients’.
The available data of cancer prevalence between 2010 - 2014 was obtained from the Ife-Ijesha Cancer Registry. Geo - spatial technique was employed to identify geographical areas with varying registry reported prevalence of cancer in South West Nigeria. Five Local Government areas (Ondo West, Ondo East, Idanre, Akure South, and Ifedore) with different cancer prevalence were selected. Five soil and water samples were collected from each of the selected Local Government and taken to the laboratory for evaluation of gamma radioactivity using a CsI detector. Furthermore, a survey meter was used at each sample collection point to determine in situ gamma dose rate in air.
The results showed that the entire five class- intervals with varying prevalence of cancer were represented in Ondo State. The activity concentration of 40K ranged from 86.68 ± 2.89 to 561.92 ± 18.56 Bq/Kg, 238U were 20.26 ± 2.09 to 344.34 ± 35.44 Bq/Kg and 232Th ranged from 3.29 ± 0.56 to 83.4 ± 14.21 Bq/Kg in soil. The activity concentration of 40K ranged from 6.62 ± 1.93 to 58.98 ± 5.76 Bq/L with a mean of 28.53 ± 3.65 Bq/L, 238U were 9.66 ± 2.33 to 19.40 ± 3.30 Bq/L and 232Th were 0.36 ± 0.13 to 0.59 ± 0.16 Bq/L in water. There was a positive linear correlation value between K-40 in soil and water and cancer prevalence. Also, positive linear correlation was recorded between U-283 in water and cancer prevalence. Others radionuclides show a negative correlation with cancer prevalence. The result showed that all radiological parameters in water except for the external hazard index showed a strong positive correlation (value) with cancer prevalence. Furthermore, noting that two LGAs with wide disparity in cancer prevalence (Ondo West n = 53 and Ondo East, n = 4). The activity concentrations of all three families of radioactivity were found to be higher in Ondo West which has the higher cancer prevalence. The p-levels of the differences were respectively for K-40 (p = 0.025), U-238 (p = 0.066), and Th-232 (p = 0.081) in soil; and K-40 (p = 0.30), U-238 (p = 0.23), and Th-232 (p = 0.17) in water. Nature of cancer was correlated with other variables as occupation and age of registry reported patients; their p-values were 0.5123 and 0.3592 respectively. This result shows a negative and weak relationship between ages, occupation of cancer patients and reported cancer incidences.
The study concluded that there was a significant association between radioactivity in water and cancer prevalence in Southwestern Nigeria.
Description
xvii, 130 pages
Keywords
Radioactivity, Radionuclides, Environmental Matrices, Cancer
Citation
Adeola,M.O.(2016). Correlations of activity concentration of naturally occurring radionuclides in some enviromental matrices with prevalence of cancer in Southwestern Nigeria.Obafemi Awolowo University