RADIOACTIVITY MEASUREMENT AND HEAVY METAL ASSESSMENT OF SOIL AND WATER FROM SUGARCANE FARM IN JIBIA, KATSINA STATE, NIGERIA
RADIOACTIVITY MEASUREMENT AND HEAVY METAL ASSESSMENT OF SOIL AND WATER FROM SUGARCANE FARM IN JIBIA, KATSINA STATE, NIGERIA
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Date
2017-05
Authors
NDAWASHI, MUSTAPHA,
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Abstract
This study was conducted to investigate the concentration of heavy metals as well as measurement of radioactivity in both soil and water from the effluent of Jibia water treatment plant that was used for irrigating a sugarcane farm land. Water and soil samples were collected at different grid points, and analyzed for copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Iron (Fe), cadmium (Cd), and Arsenic (As) concentration using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS); And for gross alpha/beta activity measurements using a gas filled proportional counter. Preliminary results show the mean values obtained for AAS analysis of the soil to be (0.327±0.022 mg/kg)Zn, (0.812±0.082 mg/kg)Cu, (0.327±0.015 mg/kg)Cd, (0.563±0.0217 mg/kg)As and (279.675±9.555 mg/kg)Fe; And for water, the mean values obtained are (0.033±0.007mg/L)Zn, (0.149±0.03 mg/L)Cu, (0.134±0.008mg/L)Cd, (0.015±0.004mg/L)As, and (1.272±0.032 mg/L)Fe respectively and all fall within WHO maximum allowable concentration (MAC) recommended for irrigation purpose, except for cadmium (Cd) and Arsenic (As) that are above the recommended safe limits of heavy metals by WHO, FAO, EU Standards for agricultural reuse. Gross alpha and beta mean activity concentrations in the soil are (63.018±12.811)Bq/g and (1778±768.131)Bq/g respectively; And (0.0315±0.0036)Bq/dm3 and (0.216±0.019)Bq/dm3 for water respectively. The study revealed that radioactivity measurements in water and soil samples are above reported values in similar environment but fall within the permissible limits set by WHO and the area can be considered safe for irrigation farming of sugarcane, tomato, cabbage, spinach, lettuce and other selected wild plants; since vegetable plants generally require these elements in appreciable quantities.
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A THESIS SBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF A MASTER DEGREE IN RADIATION BIOPHYSICS DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS, FACULTY OF SCIENCE AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, NIGERIA
Keywords
RADIOACTIVITY,, MEASUREMENT,, HEAVY METAL,, ASSESSMENT,, Water,, SOIL,, Farm,, SUGARCANE,, Jigawa Sate,