Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Investigation of potential environmental radiation risks associated with artisanal gold mining in Zamfara State, Nigeria

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A total number of 166 average measurements were taken using a handheld radiation meter. The mean terrestrial gamma radiation dose rate (TRD) was 32 nGy h−1 which is less than the world average value of 59 nGy h−1. Kaura Namoda has the highest TRD with a value of 38 nGy h−1, while Bakura has the lowest TRD with a value of 28 nGy h−1. The mean activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40 K in soil samples were measured using HPGe and were found to be 18 ± 2 Bq kg−1, 22 ± 3 Bq kg−1 and 251 ± 7 Bq kg−1, respectively. Highest activities of 226Ra, 232Th and 40 K were all found to be in Zurmi local government area with respective values of 31 ± 3 Bq kg−1, 34 ± 3 Bq kg−1 and 419 ± 10 Bq kg−1. The radiological hazards indices associated with the measured activity concentrations were determined as 69 Bq kg−1, 0.2, 0.24, 32 nGyh−1 and 0.05 mSvy−1 for radium equivalent (Raeq), external hazard index (Hex), absorbed dose rate (DR) and annual effective dose (AED), respectively. It can be concluded that despite the illegal mining activities within the area, the radiation exposure level in the area is normal and will not pose any immediate radiation effect to humans and their environs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abba HT, Hassan WMSW (2018) Evaluation of environmental natural radioactivity levels in soil and ground water of Barkin Ladi, Plateau state, Nigeria. Malays J Fundam Appl Sci 14:338–342

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Akan Z, Baskurt B, Asliyuksek H, Kam E, Yilmaz A, Yuksel MB, Biyik R, Esen R, Koca D (2014) Environmental radioactivity and high incidence rates of stomach and esophagus cancer in the van lake region: a causal relationship? Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 15:375–380

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Akkaya G, Kaynak G, Kahraman A, Gurler O (2012) The investigation of radionuclide distributions in soil samples collected from Bursa, Turkey. Radiat Prot Dosim 152:376–383

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beretka J, Mathew P (1985) Natural radioactivity of Australian building materials, industrial wastes and by-products. Health Phys 48:87–95

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chandrashekara MS, Nagaraju KM, Pruthvi Rani KS, Rajesh BM, Paramesh L (2013) Radioactivity measurements in the environment of Chamaraja Nagar area. India Radiat Protect Environ 36:10. https://doi.org/10.4103/0972-0464.121812

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • El-Mesady I, Saleh G, Khaled N, Hussein A, El-Samman H, Abd-Al Aziz KK (2018) Measurement of the ambient and extremity doses in clinical oncology hospital, Menoufia University. Egypt Int J Med Phys Clin Eng Radiat Oncol 7:248

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fatima I, Zaidi J, Arif M, Daud M, Ahmad S, Tahir S (2008) Measurement of natural radioactivity and dose rate assessment of terrestrial gamma radiation in the soil of southern Punjab, Pakistan. Radiat Prot Dosim 128:206–212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gabdo HT, Ramli AT, Saleh MA, Garba NN, Sanusi M (2016) Natural radioactivity measurements in Pahang State, Malaysia. Isot Environ Health Stud 52:298–308

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garba NN, Ramli AT, Saleh MA, Sanusi MS, Gabdo HT, Aliyu AS (2016) The potential health hazards of chronic exposure to low-dose natural radioactivity in Terengganu. Malays Environ Earth Sci 75:431

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garba NN, Ramli AT, Saleh MA, Gabdo HT (2019) Natural radioactivity and associated radiation hazards in soil of Kelantan, Malaysia. Human Ecol Risk Assess Int J 25(7):1707–1717

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Girigisu S, Ibeanu I, Adeyemo D, Onoja R, Bappah I, Okoh S (2013) Assessment of radiological levels in soils from Bagega artisanal gold mining exercises at Bagega Zamfara State, Nigeria. Arch Appl Sci Res 5:204–210

    Google Scholar 

  • IAEA (1989) Measurement of radionuclides in food and the environment—a Guidebook International Atomic Energy Agency Vienna

  • IAEA (2003) Guidelines for radioelement mapping using gamma ray spectrometry data International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna. IAEA-TECDOC-1363

  • ICRP (2000) Annual Report of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. Ann ICRP 30

  • Innocent A, John O, Ali H, Onimisi M, Jonah S, Nwodo N (2014) Radiological safety assessment of some mine sites at Gusau and Environs, Nigeria. Adv Sci Eng Res 2(2):23–28

    Google Scholar 

  • Khandaker MU, Wahib NB, Amin YM, Bradley D (2013) Committed effective dose from naturally occurring radionuclides in shellfish. Radiat Phys Chem 88:1–6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khandaker MU, Asaduzzaman K, Sulaiman AFB, Bradley D, Isinkaye MO (2018) Elevated concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides in heavy mineral-rich beach sands of Langkawi Island, Malaysia. Mar Pollut Bull 127:654–663

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McAulay I, Morgan D (1988) Natural radioactivity in soil in the Republic of Ireland. Radiat Prot Dosim 24:47–49

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Medecins Sans Frontieres (2012) Lead poisoning crisis in Zamfara State northern Nigeria. MSF Brief Pap. https://www.msf.org/lead-poisoning-crisis-zamfara-state-northern-nigeria. Accessed 11 May 2012

  • Mollah A, Rahman M, Koddus M, Husain S, Malek M (1987) Measurement of high natural background radiation levels by TLD at Cox’s Bazar coastal areas in Bangladesh. Radiat Prot Dosim 18:39–41

    Google Scholar 

  • Murty V, Karunakara N (2008) Natural radioactivity in the soil samples of Botswana. Radiat Meas 43:1541–1545

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • NGSA (2013) Geological and Mineral Map of Zamfara State, Federal Republic of Nigeria. Cartographic section Kaduna Office

  • NPC (2006) National population census. In: Commission NP (ed), Abuja, Nigeria

  • Obaje NG (2009) Geology and mineral resources of Nigeria. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-92685-6

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Saleh MA, Ramli AT, bin Hamzah K, Alajerami Y, Mhareb MHA, Aliyu AS, Hanifah NZHBA (2014) Natural environmental radioactivity and the corresponding health risk in Johor Bahru District, Johor, Malaysia. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 303:1753–1761

    Google Scholar 

  • Scovell P, Meehan E, Araújo H, Dobson J, Ghag C, Kraus H, Kudryavtsev V, Majewski P, Paling S, Preece R (2018) Low-background gamma spectroscopy at the Boulby Underground Laboratory. Astropart Phys 97:160–173

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taskin H, Karavus M, Ay P, Topuzoglu A, Hidiroglu S, Karahan G (2009) Radionuclide concentrations in soil and lifetime cancer risk due to gamma radioactivity in Kirklareli, Turkey. J Environ Radioact 100:49–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tela Abba H, Wan Hassan WMS, Saleh MA, Aliyu AS, Ramli AT, Abdulsalam H (2018) Geological influence on the activity concentration of terrestrial radionuclides 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in the Jos Plateau, Nigeria. Isot Environ Health Stud 54(5):522–534

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tripathi R, Patra A, Mohapatra S, Sahoo S, Kumar A, Puranik V (2013) Natural radioactivity in surface marine sediments near the shore of Vizag, South East India and associated radiological risk. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 295:1829–1835

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tufail M, Akhtar N, Waqas M (2006) Radioactive rock phosphate: the feed stock of phosphate fertilizers used in Pakistan. Health Phys 90:361–370

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • UNSCEAR (1993) Sources and effects of ionizing radiation: UNSCEAR 1993 report to the General Assembly with scientific annexes/United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. United Nations, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • UNSCEAR (2000) Effects of ionizing radiation, 2000 report to the General Assembly, with Scientific Annexes. United Nations, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Yasmin S, Barua BS, Khandaker MU, Kamal M, Rashid MA, Sani SA, Ahmed H, Nikouravan B, Bradley D (2018) The presence of radioactive materials in soil, sand and sediment samples of Potenga sea beach area, Chittagong, Bangladesh: Geological characteristics and environmental implication. Results Phys 8:1268–1274

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Q-X, Zhao J-K, Gu Y, Ge L-Q, Huang Y-Q (2017) Evaluation of terrestrial radiation in the Chengdu Plain using 1/250,000-scale geochemical prospecting data. Nucl Sci Tech 28:150

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria

    N. N. Garba & R. Nasiru

  2. Department of Pure and Applied Physics, Federal University Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria

    C. M. Odoh

  3. Nuclear Engineering Programme, School of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, 81310, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

    M. A. Saleh

Authors
  1. N. N. Garba
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. C. M. Odoh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. R. Nasiru
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. M. A. Saleh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to N. N. Garba.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Garba, N.N., Odoh, C.M., Nasiru, R. et al. Investigation of potential environmental radiation risks associated with artisanal gold mining in Zamfara State, Nigeria. Environ Earth Sci 80, 76 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-021-09367-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-021-09367-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation