Title: Determination of radiological doses in medicinal plants from the Assosa zone, Ethiopia

Authors: Yared Birhane Kidane; Tilahun Tesfaye Deressu

Addresses: Department of Physics, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Department of Physics, Assosa University, Assosa, Ethiopia ' Department of Physics, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract: This study investigates the activity concentrations of ²³⁸U, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K in medicinal plants using an HPGe detector. The plants analysed are okra (Abelmoschus esculentus), Moringa oleifera and karkade (Hibiscus flower). The mean activity concentrations measured for ²³⁸U, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰ in these plants were 9.06 ± 0.06 Bq kg⁻¹, 28.6 ± 2.6 Bq kg⁻¹ and 579.4 ± 32.8 Bq kg⁻¹, respectively. The average annual committed effective dose ranged from 0.003 ± 0.00004 to 0.03 ± 0.0033 mSv y⁻¹, with a mean value of 0.019 ± 0.0015 mSv y⁻¹, which is below the recommended safety threshold of 0.3 mSv y⁻¹. However, the concentrations of ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K in M. oleifera exceeded the standard safe values, indicating a need for safety precautions. In contrast, the radioactivity levels in okra (A. esculentus) and roselle (H. sabdariffa) were found to be within safe limits.

Keywords: HPGe detector; health; gamma-ray; medicinal plants; radioactivity; radionuclides.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLR.2025.154403

International Journal of Low Radiation, 2025 Vol.12 No.1, pp.60 - 72

Accepted: 06 Nov 2024
Published online: 26 Jun 2026 *

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