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Dose assessments from the measured radioactivity in soil, rock, clay, sediment and food crop samples of an elevated radiation area in south-western Nigeria

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Abstract

Activity concentrations of 40K, 226Ra and 232Th were measured in five different environmental matrices and food crops collected from some elevated radiation areas of Sikiti south-west Nigeria to estimate the radiation dose incur by the population. In situ gamma dose rates were also measured at every collection point for comparison. The activity concentrations of the various radionuclides obtained for rock samples collected from mining sites were generally higher than those of other matrices except 226Ra that is relatively low in rocks of the study area. Radiological hazard indices were estimated to assess the harmful effects of gamma radiation to the population dwelling in the area. The activity concentrations and the estimated radiological parameters were comparable to values obtained in elevated radiation areas around the world. The mean in situ measured absorbed dose rate is 232.8 ± 49.8 nGy h−1, which is far greater than the worldwide mean outdoor value of 60 nGy h−1. The total annual effective ingestion dose obtained in this study is 339.4 µSv year−1, which is higher than the 290 µSv year−1 reported as the world average value. Also, the total annual effective dose due to external and internal gamma radiation exposures in the study area is 1.83 mSv year−1, which is greater than the 1 mSv year−1 recommended by ICRP for members of the public. It can therefore be concluded that the radiological risks to the general population from gamma radiation due to natural radionuclides in the area are significant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

    N. N. Jibiri, I. A. Bello & P. G. Olaniyi

  2. Department of Physics, Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria

    M. O. Isinkaye

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  1. N. N. Jibiri
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  2. M. O. Isinkaye
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  3. I. A. Bello
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Jibiri, N.N., Isinkaye, M.O., Bello, I.A. et al. Dose assessments from the measured radioactivity in soil, rock, clay, sediment and food crop samples of an elevated radiation area in south-western Nigeria. Environ Earth Sci 75, 107 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-015-4819-3

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