Soil-to-rice transfer factors of naturally occurring radionuclides in the Afram Plains, Ghana, and their potential radiological risks

This study investigated the transfer of soil-based natural radionuclides from soil to rice in the Afram Plains and the potential radiological health risk to consumers. Gamma spectrometry was employed to measure activity concentrations of radionuclides in soil and rice samples. Transfer factors (TFs) estimated from the concentrations of U-238, Th-232, and K-40 were above the International Atomic Energy Agency values for TFs. Annual effective dose and excess lifetime cancer risk from rice consumption were below UNSCEAR and global average permissible levels, indicating minimal radiological risk. However, the study recommended strategies to reduce activities that could increase radionuclide concentrations in the future to reduce the potential health risks associated with rice consumption in the study area.