scholarly journals Radiometric evaluation of natural radioactivity and radiation hazard indices in soils from quarries sites in southwestern Nigeria

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 43
Author(s):  
Omowumi Ademila ◽  
Raphael Ugo

Quarry activities increase the radiation dose received by humans by distributing the radionuclides associated with the natural resources to the soil surfaces. This study assessed the level of natural radiations in soils around two quarry sites to a maximum depth of 2.0 m and up to 500 m away from the sites. Activity concentration of 232Th, 238U and 40K in twenty soil samples collected from the quarries in Ondo State were measured by means of high resolution gamma-ray spectrometry. Average value of 232Th, 238U and 40K measured were 0.0027±0.0003 Bq/kg and 0.0036±0.00036 Bq/kg, 0.028±0.0012 Bq/kg and 0.026±0.0012 Bq/kg and 47.45±0.0313 Bq/kg and 69.42±0.0313 Bq/kg respectively. The estimated absorbed dose rates in all the soils investigated ranged from 0.38 nGy/hr to 15.67 nGy/hr and the annual mean effective dose equivalent varied from 2.13 to 10.28 µSv/yr. The results revealed that the activity concentrations and radiological hazard indices when compared with their corresponding world permissible values are less than the recommended safe levels. This indicates that quarry activities in the areas have not enhanced the background radiation level of the areas. Regular exposure of the quarry workers and the people around the study areas pose no health hazards in the near future. 

Author(s):  
P.M. Gyuk ◽  
J.O. Anaegbu ◽  
H.O. Aboh ◽  
R. Daniel ◽  
A. Aruwa ◽  
...  

The background radiation of the areas was collected at random for each point using a rados survey meter. The detectors (two rados survey meter were used) were placed 1 meter above the ground with the operator positioned a few meters away. Three (3) readings were taking from each detector in other to reduce error or reach accuracy in obtaining the background readings from each randomly selected point where soil samples were later collected. In the current study, the concentration levels of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMs) of 40K, 232Th, and 238U in the surface soil samples of selected areas in kigo road new extension Kaduna north, Kaduna in Nigeria were studied. The collected soil samples were analyzed by means of gamma-ray spectrometry. The mean activity concentrations of the natural occurring radionuclides of  226Ra, 232Th and 40K in the soil samples were estimated to be 62, 78.35, 227.17 Bq/kg respectively for kigo road new extension respectively. Radium equivalent activity, absorbed dose rate, annual effective dose equivalent were also calculated for assessment of radiological risk. External hazard value (Hex) is between 0.3163 and 0.9557 and Internal hazard value is between 0.4462 and 1.1618. The worldwide average activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in soil samples from various studies around the world have values of 37, 30 and 400 Bq/kg respectively [UNSCEAR, 2000]. The values compared well with published data from UNSCEAR shows Ra-226, Th-232 from the location are well above the standards while K-40 below the risk value.


2012 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
MA Samad ◽  
MI Ali ◽  
D Paul ◽  
SMA Islam

The activity concentration of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K was determined in solid and liquid samples collected from the TSP Fertilizer Factory, Chittagong, Bangladesh. A total of 18 samples of seven different kinds (including liquid and solid wastes) were collected and analyzed by gamma ray spectrometry technique using a high purity germanium (HPGe) detector of 40% relative efficiency. The analysis of the liquid waste samples showed that the average activity concentrations of 226Ra and 232Th were 6.26 ± 0.63 and 10.01 ± 1.39 Bq/L, respectively and no 40K was detected in any of the liquid samples. In the solid waste samples the average value of activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K were 187.49 ± 4.88, 70.06 ± 11.76 and 655.94 ± 110.24 Bq/kg, respectively. Considering the stored wastes as a part of the ambient environment of the factory, radium equivalent activity, radiation hazard index and external annual effective dose to the worker and public due to these wastes were also calculated and compared with world average values. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jbas.v36i1.10923 Journal of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences, Vol. 36, No. 1, 79-88, 2012


2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (8) ◽  
pp. 742-751
Author(s):  
K.W. Giwa ◽  
O.D. Osahon

The activity concentrations of 40K, 232Th, and 238U in five different organs of bovine meat commonly eaten by the Nigerian populace were measured using gamma ray spectrometry. The meat samples were collected from a Government owned abattoir at Ikpoba slope, Benin City. The essence of the study was to estimate the internal radiation dose incurred by a population due to the ingestion of radionuclides from meat consumption. The mean absorbed dose rate was 12.60 ± 1.51 nGy h−1, which is far lower than the recommended value of 55 nGy h−1. The AACED obtained in this study differs for each organ, thereby making the threshold consumption rate different, but the mean dose, 0.171 ± 0.07 mSv yr−1, is below the 0.3 mSv yr−1 reported to be the recommended average value. The mean threshold consumption rate for meat intake for the samples under study was calculated to be 107.5 ± 6.22 kg yr–1. Thus, this study has contributed to the body of knowledge and data that can lead to the formulation of regulations related to radiological healthcare in the study area.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nessreen Abdelfatah Ali Abdoun

Abstract  This work was carried out with the aim to establish baseline data of soil radioactivity prior commissioning the first nuclear power plant for electricity production in the Sudan. A total of 105 soil samples from the proposed area were collected and analyzed using Gamma-ray spectrometer, X-ray Fluorescence and Atomic Absorption. Ambient dose rates were measured during sampling using radiation survey meters. Based on radionuclides in soil; some radiological hazard indices (such as absorbed dose rates, Radium-Equivalent Activity, External Hazard, and Gamma index) were computed. The results exhibit that226Ra, 232Th,40Kand 137Cs concentration ranged from0.55-88.9, 1.63-76.6, 24-1100 and 0.001-1.03 Bq/kg with an average value of10.43, 11.12, 361.2and 0.045Bq/kg respectively. The average value of absorbed dose rate(29.92nGy/h), Radium equivalent (70.55 Bq/Kg), external hazard (0.19), Gamma index. (0.25) and those parameters are lower than the corresponding global average. The results of the study revealed that the average values of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K and 137Cs fall within the global average value. GIS Predictive exhibited the spatial distribution of radioactivity trends with low levels at eastern part towards the Red Sea while high values observed at the desert (western part). This trend in addition to low levels has a very good impact to decision makers for consideration in site selection of NPP. Pearson correlation coefficient shows a correlation between the variables 226Ra and 232Th (0.69); Cr and Au (0.82); Br and Nb (0.84),Hf and Sb (+0.75) with no significant correlations between radioactive and radioactive elements. Keywords: Road map, GIS, Gamma-ray Spectrometer, Effective dose.  


2014 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 449-455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ljiljana Jankovic-Mandic ◽  
Ranko Dragovic ◽  
Milan Djordjevic ◽  
Maja Djolic ◽  
Antonije Onjia ◽  
...  

Among radionuclides in the soil deposited after Chernobyl accident, 137Cs poses considerable environmental and radiological problems because of its relatively long half-life (30.17 y), its abundance in the fallout, high mobility and similarity to potassium as the major plant nutrient. In this study the samples of undisturbed surface soil (n=250) were taken from 70 regions in Belgrade, during 2006-2010. The specific activities of 137Cs were measured by gamma-ray spectrometry. Based on obtained results external effective dose rates were calculated according to the internationally accepted activity to dose rate conversion equations. The specific activities of 137Cs were geographically mapped. The presence of 137Cs has been detected in all soil samples, with high variability of its specific activity, ranging from 3 Bq kg-1 to 87 Bq kg-1. The mean specific activity of 137Cs was 23 Bq kg-1 and the corresponding absorbed dose was 1.5 nSv h-1. The observed range reflects the inhomogeneity of the deposition process following the Chernobyl accident. It could also be attributed to topographic differences and spatial differences in physicochemical and biological soil properties, soil type and vegetation cover. The results of the present study could be valuable database for future estimations of the impact of radioactive pollution.


2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 190-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sukai Zhuang ◽  
Xinwei Lu ◽  
Jiantao Li ◽  
Qian Li

The radiation hazards of five kinds of different solid metallic tailings collected from Shangluo, China were determined on the basis of natural radioactivity measurements using low background multichannel gamma ray spectrometry. The activity concentration of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in the tailings ranged from 5.1 to 204.3, 3.8 to 28.5, and 289.6 to 762.3 Bq/kg, respectively. The radium equivalent activities and the external hazard indexes of all studied metallic tailings were below the internationally accepted value of 370 Bq/kg and unity, respectively. The internal hazard index of vanadium tailings exceeded unity, while the internal hazard indexes of other analyzed metallic tailings were less than unity. The indoor air absorbed dose rate values for all studied metallic tailings except lead-zinc tailings and gold tailings were higher than the world population-weighted average of 84 nGy/h and the annual effective dose values of all metallic tailings except for vanadium tailings were lower than 1 mSv. The study showed that vanadium tailings present a radiation hazard and their usage as building materials should be restricted.


2021 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-22
Author(s):  
Marko Šoštarić ◽  
Branko Petrinec ◽  
Mak Avdić ◽  
Ljerka Petroci ◽  
Milica Kovačić ◽  
...  

Abstract We took samples of uncultivated soil from the surface layer (0–10 cm) at 138 sites from all over Croatia and measured their radionuclide activity concentrations with high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometry. This second part of our report brings the results on 40K and 137Cs to complement those on the 232Th and 238U decay chains addressed in the first part. Together they give the most complete picture of radioactivity of Croatian soil so far. Activity concentrations of 40K were the highest in the Pannonian region, and there was an opposite trend for 137Cs. We found that the concentrations of 137Cs tended to increase with altitude, annual precipitation, and vegetation density. The concentration ratio of 137Cs and K in soil, which indicates the potential for 137Cs entering food chains via uptake by plants, was the lowest in agriculturally important areas in the east of the Pannonian region. In addition, we used the obtained results on activity concentrations to calculate the related absorbed dose rate as a measure of external exposure to ionising radiation from soil. The sum of the absorbed dose rates for naturally occurring radionuclides and 137Cs showed that external exposure was generally the highest in the Dinaric region and Istrian Peninsula.


2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 171-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mst Najnin Aktar ◽  
Suranjan Kumar Das ◽  
Selina Yeasmin ◽  
MM Mahfuz Siraz ◽  
AFM Mizanur Rahman

The activity concentrations of natural radionuclides and radiological hazard indices in eleven tea samples collected from local market in Bangladesh have been analyzed by using High Purity Germanium (HPGe) Detector. The average activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in tea samples have been found to be 21.21±14.04, 32.43±7.48 and 93.47 ± 43.94 Bqkg-1 respectively. The calculated absorbed dose rates due to these radioactive nuclides in tea samples have been found to vary from 26.24 nGyh-1 to 37.95 nGyh-1 and average value was 33.28 nGyh-1. The estimated outdoor annual effective dose rates varied from 38.64  µSvy-1 to 55.89 µSvy-1 with the mean value of 49.02 µSvy-1 which is less than the world average value of 1000 µSvy-1. The values of radium equivalent activity in all samples are less than the permissible maximum value of the radium equivalent activity which is 370 Bqkg-1 according to UNSCEAR 2000 report. The values of external and internal hazard indices for different samples varied from 0.16 to 0.23 with the average value of 0.20 and from 0.21 to 0.29 with an average of 0.26. The value of this index must be less than unity in order to keep the radiation hazard insignificant. It was also found that there is no artificial radionuclide (for example 137Cs) in any of the samples. The data generated in this study will provide baseline radiometric values for natural and artificial radioactivity in tea samples in Bangladesh. Journal of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences, Vol. 42, No. 2, 171-176, 2018


2013 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Khatun ◽  
AHM Saadat ◽  
MM Ahasan ◽  
S Akter

Rajbari district of Bangladesh, have been studied and possible health effect were estimated. The experiment has been done by using gamma ray spectrometry system consisting of a HPGe detector coupled with MCA and associate electronics. The average natural radioactivities of 238U, 232Th and 40K have been measured as 29.03±5.67 Bq/kg, 50.91±10.17 Bq/kg and 535.32±89.19 Bq/kg respectively. To estimate health effect due to the activity of those radionuclides, the radium equivalent activity (Raeq), external hazard index (Hex), absorbed dose rate (D) and effective dose have been calculated and compared to the world average values. The results are also compared with the literature values reported for other regions of the world and found that the soil of the study area are not hazards by the radiation and does not pose any harmful effect to the environment. The outcome of this study may provide valuable information about radiation hazard and also may take part in the monitoring of environmental radioactivity. Jahangirnagar University Environmental Bulletin, Vol.2, 1-8, 2013 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jueb.v2i0.16324


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