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The impact of the extensive use of phosphate fertilizers on radioactivity levels in farm soil and vegetables in Tanzania

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Abstract

Soil and vegetables grown in Iringa rural in Tanzania were analysed for radioactivity associated with the use of phosphate fertilizer in farming. The activity concentrations of 226Ra, 228Ra and 40K were determined using gamma spectrometry of Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission, Arusha. Higher activity concentrations of 226Ra and 228Ra in both types of samples were found in samples from fertilized farms than in samples from control. Hence, regular monitoring of radioactivity level in farm soils and agricultural products is recommended.

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Acknowledgments

The authors extend their appreciation to the college of Applied Medical Sciences Research Centre and the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Saud University for supporting this research. The authors are also thankful to the staff of Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission for their technical support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, University of Dar es Salaam, P.O.Box 35063, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

    Najat Mohammed & Emanuel Chanai

  2. Department of Radiological Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, PO Box 10219, Riyadh, 11433, Saudi Arabia

    M. Alkhorayef

  3. Department of Physics, Centre for Nuclear and Radiation Physics, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XH, UK

    M. Alkhorayef

Authors
  1. Najat Mohammed
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  2. Emanuel Chanai
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  3. M. Alkhorayef
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Correspondence to Najat Mohammed.

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Mohammed, N., Chanai, E. & Alkhorayef, M. The impact of the extensive use of phosphate fertilizers on radioactivity levels in farm soil and vegetables in Tanzania. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 307, 2373–2379 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-015-4377-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-015-4377-x

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