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Environmental impact assessment and statistical analysis of natural radioactivity in the slopes of Mount Cameroon area

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Abstract

The activity concentrations of natural radionuclides 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K in soil samples from the slopes of Mount Cameroon (South-West coastal region) have been investigated using gamma-ray spectrometry measurement-based NaI (Tl) detector. The average activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K in the assessed soil samples were found to be 15.80, 43.94, and 111.68 Bq/kg, respectively. From the obtained concentrations, radiological hazard parameters such as the equivalent radium activity (Raeq), the dose rate (Dose_rate), the annual effective dose (AED), the risk indexes (Hex, Hin, Ia, Ig, ELCR), and the annual effective dose to the organs (Dorgans) were calculated. The mean values of the obtained concentrations and radiological hazard parameters are all below the world average values and suggest no radiological alarm for the local population and visitors. A statistical study consisting of descriptive analysis, Pearson correlation, principal component analysis, and cluster analysis was performed to investigate the distribution and relationship between 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K in the study area; also, to find out which factor mainly influences the calculated radiological parameters and to classify the samples according to their category or similarity. It was found that 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K follow an approximately normal distribution and that there is a very low correlation between 40K and the other radionuclides. Cluster analysis reveals four clusters which can also be compacted into two major groups suggesting that the samples are primarily from two groups of rocks. Finally, the main contributor to radiological exposure in the study area is 232Th, which is in agreement with the reference published works.

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Funding

The authors gratefully acknowledge partial support of this work by the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) under the (OEA-AF-12) project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Atomic, Molecular Physics and Quantum Optics (CEPAMOQ), University of Douala, P.O. Box 8580, Douala, Cameroon

    Dorine Flore Tiomene, Daniel Bongue, Samafou Penabei, William Mbogning Feudjio, Maurice Ndontchueng Moyo & Moise Godfroy Kwato Njock

  2. National Radiation Protection agency of Cameroon, Box, 33732, Yaounde, Cameroon

    Cebastien Joel Guembou Shouop

  3. Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Douala, P.O. Box 24157, Douala, Cameroon

    Alexandre Ngwa Ebongue

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  1. Dorine Flore Tiomene
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  2. Daniel Bongue
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  3. Cebastien Joel Guembou Shouop
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  4. Alexandre Ngwa Ebongue
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Correspondence to Dorine Flore Tiomene or Daniel Bongue.

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Responsible Editor: Amjad Kallel

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Tiomene, D.F., Bongue, D., Guembou Shouop, C.J. et al. Environmental impact assessment and statistical analysis of natural radioactivity in the slopes of Mount Cameroon area. Arab J Geosci 16, 413 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-023-11511-0

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