NATURAL RADIOACTIVITY CONCENTRATION AND RADIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF SOIL SAMPLES FROM FERTILIZED FARMS

Soils naturally contain radioactive elements due to the minerals in Earth's crust. However, agricultural activities, especially the use of chemical fertilisers, can also influence their radioactivity. This study aims to systematically assess both the concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides introduced into cultivated soils by local fertilisers and the associated radiological hazards from prolonged use. We measured radionuclides using gamma ray spectrometry and analysed soil from fertilised farms to determine activity and health risk indices. All samples contained detectable radionuclides, with mean values of 40K = 590.77±5.08 Bq/kg, 238U = 4.82±0.096 Bq/kg, and 232Th = 2.72±0.05 Bq/kg. Radiological hazard indices—radium equivalent, absorbed effective dose, excess life cancer risk, and gamma representative index—were calculated and compared to international data. The results clarify how fertiliser use affects radionuclide concentrations in soil and if resulting health risks remain within internationally accepted safety limits.