Evaluation of Annual Effective Dose Due to Ingestion in Some Commonly Consumed Vegetables in Lagos State, Nigeria

Abstract

The activity concentrations of ⁴⁰K, ²³⁸U and ²³²Th in some commonly consumed vegetables in Badagry, Ikorodu and Ojo areas of Lagos state were determined. The highest concentration of ⁴⁰K was obtained in Celosia argentea (Lagos Spinach) with a value of 7807.51±402.48 Bq/kg, the highest concentration of ²³⁸U with a value of 59.46±6.46 Bq/kg was found in Amaranthus hybridus (African Spinach) and the highest concentration of ²³²Th was found in Amaranthus hybridus (African Spinach) with a value of 47.45± 2.80 Bq/kg. The highest concentrations were found in vegetables from Ikorodu. The lowest concentration of ⁴⁰K was found in Hibiscus sabdariffa (Roselle) with a value of 451.23±23.87 Bq/kg. Celosia argentea (Lagos Spinach) has the lowest concentration value
of 0.79±0.10 Bq/kg for ²³⁸U and a concentration value of 3.81± 0.22 Bq/kg was found in Vernonia amygdalina (Bitter Leaf) being the lowest concentration value of ²³²Th. The mean annual effective doses of Badagry, Ikorodu and Ojo were 1.42mSv/y, 2.06mSv/y and
2.23mSv/y, respectively, which were higher than the world mean average of 0.294mSv/y.

Keywords: Activity concentration; Vegetables; Mean absorbed dose; Cancer risk.