The Influence of Selected Soil Physicochemical Properties on Radionuclide Transfer in Cassava Crops

Radionuclide contamination through the food chain is a major pathway for radiotoxicity to man. The radionuclides of natural origin are absorbed from the soil just like every other nutrient the plants needs for their survival. A study on the effects of some soil physicochemical parameters on the radionuclide transfer factors from soil to plant was carried out. The soil physicochemical properties obtained from the study suggest that the soil in this study fell within the sand category with a pH range of 5.06 – 6.08. Radionuclide activity concentrations for the soil samples ranged from 9.73±0.92 – 56.38±3.29, 35.91±1.71 – 147.26±4.06 and 137.09±4.20 – 247.33±3.42 Bq/Kg for the radionuclides 226Ra, 232Th and 40K respectively. For the cassava samples, the activity concentrations ranged from 19.28±5.29 – 89.22±5.09, 70.46±1.59 – 203.48±1.56 and 39.34±5.59 – 442.45±6.99 for 226Ra, 232Th and 40K respectively. From the correlation statistics, the soil pH and silt content made the most significant contribution in the radionuclide transfer factors.