Determination of radionuclides in selected samples of cigarette, shisha and shisha charcoal mostly used in Kano State, Nigeria

Abstract

Shisha and Cigarette smokers suffer from deadly diseases. These could be as a result of the presence of quantities of radioisotopes from uranium and thorium-decay series which are radioactive and carcinogenic and pose toxic effects to living organisms. Increasing consumption of Shisha in Kano deemed it necessary to investigate those radioisotopes in products sold in the city markets. 30 samples were obtained, 10 each from Cigarette, Shisha and Shisha charcoal products and evaluated using Gamma Spectroscopy for radioisotopes. The average values of the activity concentration of ⁴⁰K, ²³⁸U and ²³²Th, absorbed dose rates, annual effective doses, radium equivalent activity indexes and excess life-time cancer risks of Shisha products were found to be 258.12±18.40 Bq kg^-1, 8.44±1.94 Bq kg^-1, 5.45±0.63 Bqkg^-1, 17.37 nGy h^-1, 4,975.80 μSv yr^-1, 34.55 Bq kg^-1, 17.42×10-3, and that of Cigarette products to be 567.60±40.68 Bq kg^-1, 14.38±3.32 Bq kg^-1, 7.40±0.72 Bqkg^-1, 34.95 nGyh^-1, 894.32 μSv yr^-1, 68.67 Bq kg-1, 3.13×10^-3, and that of Charcoal products to be 1129.14±80.40 Bq kg^-1, 16.93±3.79 Bq kg^-1, 7.90±0.77 Bqkg^-1, 59.53 nGy h^-1, 15,185.39 μSv yr^-1, 114.03 Bq kg^-1, and 53.15×10^-3  respectively. Most of the values of these parameters were found to be higher than the recommended limit by UNSCEAR (2000) and WHO therefore posing serious health risks to smokers.