Assessment of the Natural Radionuclides and Its’ Potential Radiological Hazards in Commonly Used Incense in Anambra State, Nigeria

Background: The increasing use of incense for spiritual, domestic, and cultural purposes raises concern over possible exposure to naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMs) such as Potassium-40 (K-40), Radium-226 (Ra-226), and Thorium-232 (Th-232). The research aimed to identify radionuclides present in selected incense brands, determine their activity concentrations, and assess associated health risks.

Materials and Methods:  A prospective cross-sectional design was adopted, and nineteen incense samples comprising both spiritual and domestic types were randomly collected from major incense shops in Onitsha markets. The samples were analyzed at the Centre for Energy Research and Training, Zaria, using NaI (Tl) gamma spectrometry, and data were processed with SPSS version 21.

Results: revealed that all incense samples contained K-40, Ra-226, and Th-232, with mean activity concentrations of 51.70 ± 20.02 Bq/kg, 14.82 ± 3.90 Bq/kg, and 25.33 ± 17.02 Bq/kg, respectively. K-40 exhibited the highest activity across all samples, while Ra-226 recorded the lowest. Most samples fell below the UNSCEAR-2000 safety limits, except Shalimar Magnet and Excess Grace incense sticks, which showed Th-232 levels exceeding 40 Bq/kg, indicating potential radiological health risks. ANOVA results confirmed significant differences among the radionuclides (p < 0.001). The findings suggest that while the majority of incense brands are radiologically safe for use, certain brands pose elevated exposure risks, particularly from Th-232. It is recommended that regulatory bodies such as the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) conduct routine monitoring of incense products and raise public awareness on safe usage practices.

Conclusion: The study concludes that regular surveillance of consumer goods containing natural radionuclides is vital to minimizing long-term health risks.