Radiation Detection in Vegetable Leaves:
RADIATION DETECTION IN VEGETABLE LEAVES:
A COMPARATIVE CASE STUDY IN COASTAL AND HINTERLAND REGIONS OF AKWA IBOM STATE
BY
Godfrey T. Akpabio,
Ime E. Essien
And
Bassey E. Bassey.
Department of Physics,
University of Uyo,
Uyo.
ABSTRACT
Radioactive radiation level was detected for five samples of vegetable leaves namely: Water leaf, Fluted Pumpkin, Editan Lasientera africana and Afang Gnetum africanum. These vegetable leaves were collected from Uyo (interland region) and Ibeno (coastal region) in Akwa Ibom. Radioactivity level in each of these samples were measured and recorded. In Uyo waterleaf has the least radioactive level of 0.00079Bq/g while Editan has the highest level of 0.0019Bq/g. In Ibeno, fluted pumpkin has the least level of 0.0037Bq/g while waterleaf records the highest radioactive level 0.0070Bq/g. The higher radioactive level observed in Ibeno is attributed to the presence of radioactive materials in the environment due to oil drilling activities in the area.
Keywords: Radioactivity, Radiation, Vegetable leaves, NORM
INTRODUCTION Radiation is energy that comes from a source and travels through some material or through space. The term radiation refers to the emission of particles, such as electrons, neutrons, or alpha particles as well as to electromagnetic radiation. Nuclei that are not stable are radioactive (Tippler, 1991). Radioactivity can be dangerous to human health. Natural occurring radioactive materials (NORM), produced along with oil and gas production, are often concentrated at some point in the hydrocarbon production process. Concentrations of NORM are found in oil and gas production equipment and waste. The radioactive component is, of course the major environmental concern especially a place like Akwa Ibom State. Many processes occur in a leaf, but the distinctive and most important is food manufacture. Green plants posses the ability to manufacture food from raw materials derived from the soil and the
A COMPARATIVE CASE STUDY IN COASTAL AND HINTERLAND REGIONS OF AKWA IBOM STATE
BY
Godfrey T. Akpabio,
Ime E. Essien
And
Bassey E. Bassey.
Department of Physics,
University of Uyo,
Uyo.
ABSTRACT
Radioactive radiation level was detected for five samples of vegetable leaves namely: Water leaf, Fluted Pumpkin, Editan Lasientera africana and Afang Gnetum africanum. These vegetable leaves were collected from Uyo (interland region) and Ibeno (coastal region) in Akwa Ibom. Radioactivity level in each of these samples were measured and recorded. In Uyo waterleaf has the least radioactive level of 0.00079Bq/g while Editan has the highest level of 0.0019Bq/g. In Ibeno, fluted pumpkin has the least level of 0.0037Bq/g while waterleaf records the highest radioactive level 0.0070Bq/g. The higher radioactive level observed in Ibeno is attributed to the presence of radioactive materials in the environment due to oil drilling activities in the area.
Keywords: Radioactivity, Radiation, Vegetable leaves, NORM
INTRODUCTION Radiation is energy that comes from a source and travels through some material or through space. The term radiation refers to the emission of particles, such as electrons, neutrons, or alpha particles as well as to electromagnetic radiation. Nuclei that are not stable are radioactive (Tippler, 1991). Radioactivity can be dangerous to human health. Natural occurring radioactive materials (NORM), produced along with oil and gas production, are often concentrated at some point in the hydrocarbon production process. Concentrations of NORM are found in oil and gas production equipment and waste. The radioactive component is, of course the major environmental concern especially a place like Akwa Ibom State. Many processes occur in a leaf, but the distinctive and most important is food manufacture. Green plants posses the ability to manufacture food from raw materials derived from the soil and the
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