Radionuclides distribution in soils and radon level assessment in dwellings of Mungo and Nkam Divisions, Cameroon

• Published in: Environmental monitoring and assessment Vol. 196; no. 11; p. 1038
• Main Authors: Tiomene, Dorine Flore, Bongue, Daniel, Ngwa Ebongue, Alexandre, Haman, Felix, Penabei, Samafou, Guembou Shouop, Cebastien Joel, Ndjana Nkoulou, Joseph Emmanuel, Ndontchueng Moyo, Maurice, Saïdou, Kwato Njock, Moïse Godfroy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.11.2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Air Pollutants, Radioactive - analysis; Air Pollution, Indoor - analysis; Air Pollution, Indoor - statistics & numerical data; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Cameroon; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecology; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Management; Geology; Hazard assessment; Housing; Indoor environments; Inhalation; Littoral environments; Lung cancer; Lung diseases; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; Precipitation; Radiation; Radiation Monitoring; Radioisotopes; Radionuclide kinetics; Radium - analysis; Radium 226; Radium isotopes; Radium radioisotopes; Radon; Radon - analysis; Radon content; Radon levels; Respiration; Risk assessment; Scientific imaging; Sensors; Soil; Soil - chemistry; Soil analysis; Soil investigations; Soil Pollutants, Radioactive - analysis; Soil structure; Spectrometry; Thorium - analysis; Cameroon; Soil; Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk and Statistical analysis; Indoor radon level; Natural radioactivity; Radiation hazards
• ISSN: 0167-6369; 1573-2959; 1573-2959
• DOI: 10.1007/s10661-024-13158-0

Radionuclide and radon levels have been investigated in soil samples and residential environments within the Mungo and Nkam Divisions of the Littoral Region. These analyses employed gamma spectrometry facilitated by a NaI (Tl) detector for soil samples, yielding average activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th, and 40  K at 23.8, 72, and 105 Bq kg −1 , respectively. Various radiological parameters were calculated to evaluate radiological hazards. Additionally, the indoor radon concentrations were quantified utilizing the CR-39 solid-state nuclear track detector (Radtrack), revealing an average concentration of 25 Bq m −3 and an associated inhalation dose of 0.66 mSv y −1 . Risk assessments for lung cancer attributable to indoor radon exposure incorporated models such as the Harley model. An observed moderate correlation between indoor radon levels and external 226 Ra concentrations implies that radon intrusion indoors might be substantially influenced by the 226 Ra present in the subjacent soil, considering the construction of residential structures directly upon these terrains.