Determination of Radon Concentration in Imported Tea Obtained From Maiduguri Monday Market using the Liquid Scintillation Counter Technique
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62292/njp.v33i4.2024.295Keywords:
Radon-222, Liquid Scintillation Counting, Tea, Annual Effective Dose, Cancer Risk, Hazard Index, NigeriaAbstract
This study investigates radon-222 concentrations in imported tea samples obtained from northeastern Nigeria's Maiduguri Monday Market using Liquid Scintillation Counting (LSC) techniques. Located in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of Borno State, the study area encompasses the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and adjacent regions, characterized by distinct seasonal variations and semi-arid conditions. Five popular imported tea brands were analyzed using a Packard Tri-Card LSA 1000TR liquid scintillation counter, with samples prepared following standardized protocols. Results revealed varying radon-222 concentrations across brands, with Lipton Tea showing the highest concentration , while Glen Tea and Top Tea exhibited no detectable levels. The study evaluated potential health risks through multiple parameters, including Annual Effective Dose (AED), Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk (ELCR), and Hazard Index (HI). Age-dependent analysis demonstrated heightened sensitivity among infants, particularly for Lipton Tea consumption, with an AED of . ELCR calculations indicated the highest lifetime cancer risk for infants consuming Lipton Tea while remaining within acceptable limits. HI values consistently remained below 1 across all samples and age groups, suggesting minimal non-cancer health risks. The findings indicate that while radon-222 is present in some tea samples, concentrations remain well below the World Health Organization's recommended limit of for drinking water. The study contributes valuable data to the limited research on radon contamination in consumer products within developing regions, while establishing a methodological framework for similar investigations worldwide.
Downloads
References
Abubakar, B. A., Falmata, K., ThankGod, O. E., Abdulmalik, A., & Ali, M. (2018). Survey of flies (order: Diptera) of Medical and Veterinary importance infesting livestock in Maiduguri, Borno state, Nigeria. Journal of Scientific Agriculture, 2, 97-100.
Åkerblom, G. (1999). Radon legislation and national guideline. Swedish Radiation Protection Inst.., No. SSI--99-18.
Akinnagbe, D. M., M. M. Orosun, R. O. Orosun, O. Osanyinlusi, K. A. Yusuk, F. C. Akinyose, T. A. Olaniyan, and S. O. Ige. (2018). Assessment of Radon concentration of ground water in Ijero Ekiti. Manila Journal of Science, 11, 32-41.
Alomari, A. H., Saleh, M. A., Hashim, S., Alsayaheen, A., & Abdeldin, I. (2019). Activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 228 Ra, 222 Rn and their health impact in the groundwater of Jordan. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 322, 305-318.
Appleton, J. D. (2012). Radon in air and water. In Essentials of medical geology: Revised edition. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, 239-277.
Appleton, J. D., Jones, D. G., Miles, J. C. H., & Scivyer, C. (2020). Radon gas hazard. Geological Society, London, Engineering Geology Special Publications, 29(1), 433-456.
Auvinen, A., Salonen, L., Pekkanen, J., Pukkala, E., Ilus, T., & Kurttio, P. . (2005). Radon and other natural radionuclides in drinking water and risk of stomach cancer: A case‐cohort study in Finland. International Journal of Cancer, 114(1), 109-113.
Bartlett, D. T. (2004). Radiation protection aspects of the cosmic radiation exposure of aircraft crew. Radiation protection dosimetry, 109(4), 349-355.
Bulut, H. A., & Şahin, R. (2024). Radon, Concrete, Buildings and Human Health—A Review Study. Buildings,, 14(2), 510.
Bwala, J. M., Mshelia, S. S., & AbubakarBashir, S. H. J. (2020). EFEECTS OF LAND TENURE USE ON CROP OUTPUT AMONG RURAL FARMERS IN BIU PLATEAU REGION OF BORNO STATE, NIGERIA. . Global Journal of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Vlume, 2, 1.
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. (2014). Radon in Canada’s Uranium Industry. https://www.cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca/eng/resources/fact-sheets/radon-fact-sheet/.
Cappello, M. A., Ferraro, A., B. Mendelsohn, A., & Prehn, A. W. (2013). Radon-contaminated drinking water from private wells: an environmental health assessment examining a rural Colorado mountain community’s exposure. Journal of environmental health, 76(4), 18-25.
Cecil, L. D., & Green, J. R. (2000). Radon-222. In Environmental tracers in subsurface hydrology . Environmental tracers in subsurface hydrology, Boston, MA: Springer US, pp. 175-194.
D'Auria, S., & D’Auria, S. (2018). Radioactive Decays. Introduction to Nuclear and Particle Physics, 51-70.
De Goeij, J. J. M., & Bonardi, M. L. . (2005). How do we define the concepts specific activity, radioactive concentration, carrier, carrier-free and no-carrier-added? Journal of radioanalytical and nuclear chemistry, 263(1), 13-18.
Degu Belete, G. &. (2021). General overview of radon studies in health hazard perspectives. Journal of Oncology, 2021.
Elezaj, N., Zorko, B., Xhixha, G., & Bytyqi, V. (2024). Radon activity concentrations and radiological exposure assessment in drinking water in Prizren region–Kosovo. International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry, 1-15.
Gelgün, S. ¸Sahin, L. Çetinkaya, H. Durak, S. (2009). Determination of Indoor Radon Concentration in Kutahya. Proceedings of the 7th International Student Conference of the Balkan Physical Union—ISCBPU, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
George, A. C. . (2015). The history, development and the present status of the radon measurement programme in the United States of America. Radiation protection dosimetry, 167(1-3), 8-14.
Google Map Data. (2024). Map of Maiduguri. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Maiduguri,+Borno/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x11049f4b9b52795b:0x63933a66a7b20361?sa=X&ved=1t:242&ictx=111.
Grzywa-Celińska, A., Krusiński, A., Mazur, J., Szewczyk, K., & Kozak, K. (2020). Radon—the element of risk. The impact of radon exposure on human health. Toxics, 8(4), 120.
Hamilton, E. I. (1989). Terrestrial radiation—an overview. International Journal of Radiation Applications and Instrumentation. Part C. Radiation Physics and Chemistry, 34(2), 195-212.
Hou, X., & Dai, X. (2020). Environmental liquid scintillation analysis. Handbook of Radioactivity Analysis:Academic Press., Volume 2 , (pp. 41-136).
Huestis, S. P. (2002). Understanding the origin and meaning of the radioactive decay equation. Journal of Geoscience Education, 50(5), 524-527.
Hussein, A. M. A., Shinen, M. H., & Aswood, M. S. (2019). Use of LR-115 Detector to Measure Radon Concentrations in Milk and Tea Samples Collected From MisanMarkets in Iraq. Iran J Med Phys, 16(5), 320.
J
ibrin, S. A., Ali, I. M., & Baba, B. A. . (2022). Analysis of Resource Use Efficiency Among Urban Sudano-Sahelian Dairy Farmers in Maiduguri Metropolis, Borno State, Nigeria. American Journal of Energy and Natural Resources, 1(1), 26-32.
Kaka, S. M., Mayomi, I., & Daura, M. M. (2019). Geospatial Assessment of the Impact of Topography on Flood Vulnerability in Maiduguri, Nigeria. Jalingo Journal of Social and Management Sciences, 1(4), 129-145.
Khandaker, M. U., Baballe, A., Tata, S., & Adamu, M. A. (2021). Determination of radon concentration in groundwater of Gadau, Bauchi State, Nigeria and estimation of effective dose. Radiation Physics and Chemistry,, 178, 108934.
Kreuzer, M., & McLaughlin, J. . (2010). Radon. WHO Guidelines for Indoor Air Quality: Selected Pollutants. , World Health Organization.
Lorenzo-Gonzalez, M., Torres-Duran, M., Barbosa-Lorenzo, R., Provencio-Pulla, M., Barros-Dios, J. M., & Ruano-Ravina, A. (2019). Radon exposure: a major cause of lung cancer. Expert review of respiratory medicine, 13(9), 839-850.
Mitrea, D. R., Moshkenani, H., Hoteiuc, O., Bidian, C., Toader, A. M., & Clichici, S. (2018). Antioxidant protection against cosmic radiation-induced oxidative stress at commercial flight altitude. J Physiol Pharmacol, 69(10.26402).
Nasser, H. J., Al-Alawy, I. T., & Mzher, O. A. (2020). Radon and Thoron Concentrations Measurement in Tea Samples Consumed in Iraqi Markets Using CR-39 Detector. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, IOP Publishing, Vol. 1660, No. 1, p. 012064.
Neuberger, J. S., & Gesell, T. F. (2002). Residential radon exposure and lung cancer: risk in nonsmokers. Health Physics, 83(1), 1-18.
Ntarisa, A. V. (2022). Development of a Novel Technique for Radon Detection Based on Liquid Scintillation Counting System.
Omer, A. M. . (2008). Energy, environment and sustainable development. Renewable and sustainable energy reviews, 12(9), 2265-2300.
Pan, S.Y., Nie, Q., Tai, H.C., Song, X.L., Tong, Y.F., Zhang, L.J.F., Wu, X.W., Lin, Z.H., Zhang, Y.Y., Ye, D.Y. and Zhang, Y. (2022). Tea and tea drinking: China’s outstanding contributions to the mankind. Chinese Medicine, 17(1), p.27.
Pathak, A. . (2023). Radioactive Decay Laws. Tools and Techniques in Radiation Biophysics, Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore., pp. 55-73.
Pathak, A. (2023). Radioactivity and Its Units. Tools and Techniques in Radiation Biophysics , Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore, pp. 25-53.
P
odgorsak, E. B., & Podgoršak, E. B. (. (2014). Kinetics of Radioactive Decay. Compendium to Radiation Physics for Medical Physicists: 300 Problems and Solutions, 637-692.
Ravikumar, P., & Somashekar, R. K. (2014). Determination of the radiation dose due to radon ingestion and inhalation. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 11, 493-508.
Saha, G. B., & Saha, G. B. (2010). Radioactive Decay. Fundamentals of Nuclear Pharmacy, 11-31.
Sahu, P., Panigrahi, D. C., & Mishra, D. P. (2016). A comprehensive review on sources of radon and factors affecting radon concentration in underground uranium mines. Environmental Earth Sciences, 75, 1-19.
Samet, J. M. (1989). Radon and lung cancer. JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 81(10), 745-758.
Sethi, T. K., El-Ghamry, M. N., & Kloecker, G. H. . (2012). Radon and lung cancer. Clin Adv Hematol Oncol, 0(3), 157-164.
Skeppström, K. A. O. B., & Olofsson, B. (2007). Uranium and radon in groundwater. European water, 17(18), 51-62.
Stone, R. (1993). EPA analysis of radon in water is hard to swallow. Science, 261(5128), 1514-1516.
Sukanya, S., Noble, J., & Joseph, S. (2021). Factors controlling the distribution of radon (222Rn) in groundwater of a tropical mountainous river basin in southwest India. Chemosphere, 263, 128096.
World Health Organization. (2009). WHO handbook on indoor radon: a public health perspective. World Health Organization.
Zhang, W., Zhang, D., Wu, L., Li, J., & Cheng, J. (2016). Radon release from underground strata to the surface and uniaxial compressive test of rock samples. Acta Geodyn. Geomater, 13, 407-416.
