Abstract:
This study assesses the natural radioactivity as well as their derived health implication in locally
produced palm kernel oil in Osun State, Nigeria. A total of 16 samples were collected from eight
major factories in four towns in the study area. Thallium-doped sodium iodide (NaI (Tl)) scintillation
detector was used to determine the activity concentration of these radionuclides and the results
obtained were used to calculate radiological impact parameters. The results show that the
radionuclides detected and quantified in this study came from the naturally-occurring radionuclides
238U and 232Th decay series, as well as non-series 40K. The overall mean concentrations for 40K,
232Th and 238U in all the samples were 14.68 ± 1.55, 6.03 ± 1.74 and 5.55 ± 2.09 Bq L-1, respectively.
The range of measured activities in the palm kernel oil varies within the same factory which may be
due to the fact that the production processes and most especially the source of the palm kernel
used by the factories and nature of the soil where the palm tree is planted varied. The estimations of
all radiological impact parameters were found to be lower than their respective world average
values. These low values imply that the probability of suffering serious radiation hazards is low in
the areas.
