Assessment of radiological impacts of selected fertilizers in Can Tho City

Abstract

This study investigated the radioactivity levels and risks from 45 chemical fertilizer samples collected from agricultural supplies store and farming households in Can Tho City. The gamma dose rate for each sample was measured using a TI Survey Meter (Model 9DP), from which the annual effective dose equivalent (AEDE) and excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) were estimated for three population groups (adults, children, and infants). The gamma dose rates ranged from 0.06 μSv/h to 0.77 μSv/h, with a mean of 0.25 μSv/h. The mean AEDEs were 307.50 μSv/year for adults, 351.42 μSv/year for children, and 393.96 μSv/year for infants. As compared to the UNSCEAR reference level of 0.87 mSv/year, the adult mean AEDE was below this level, whereas some fertilizer samples yielded AEDEs for children and infants exceeded it. The average ELCR shows a progressive increase from adults to children to infants 1.038 × 10⁻³ (adults), 1.226 × 10⁻³ (children), and 1.379 × 10⁻³ (infants), all of which fell within the reference range of (1.0-2.4) × 10⁻³ reported in previous studies.