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Radiometric and Radiogenic Heat Evaluation of Natural Radioactivity in Soil Around Solid Minerals Mining Environment in South-Eastern Nigeria

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Abstract

Radionuclides activity concentrations in soil around ten solid mineral mining sites have been investigated using sodium iodide [Na(TI)] gamma spectroscopy. Four soil samples and a control sample were collected from each of the selected sites for analyses. The obtained results showed mean concentration values of 33.2 Bq kg−1 for 226Ra, 100.7 Bq kg−1 for 40K and 77.7 Bq kg−1 for 232Th. The estimated radiological risk parameter results have shown average values of 67.5 ηGy h−1 for the Absorbed Dose Rate (DR), 82.8 μSv y−1 for the Annual Effective Dose Equivalent (AEDE), 151.4 Bq kg−1 for the Radium Equivalent (Raeq) and 457.1 mSv y−1 for the Annual Gonadal Equivalent Dose (AGED) which is highly comparable to the allowable WHO value of 300 mSv y−1 and the control value of 177.7 mSv y−1. The average Excess Life Cancer Risk (ELCR) value obtained was 289.6 × 10−6 and the control value 112.9 × 10−6. The average External Hazard Index (Hex), Internal Hazard Index (Hin), Representative Gamma index ( Iγ), and Activity Utilization Index (AUI) obtained were 0.4, 0.5, 1.1 and 1.3, respectively. The Radiogenic Heat produced Q ranged from 248.4 pW kg−1 in Awkuke (ironstone mine) to 608.5 pW kg−1 in Ama-Echi (Silica mine) with an average heat value of 415.8 pW kg−1. The obtained result for lithology [clay] identification showed a mixed clay lithology type. The overall results were found to be higher when compared to previously reported values from similar mineral mining areas, which indicates radiological contamination.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the Enugu State Ministry of Environment for granting us the permission and access to the studied mining sites.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Rivers State, Nigeria

    J. C. Osimobi & G. O. Avwiri

  2. Department of Physics, Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Nigeria

    E. O. Agbalagba

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  1. J. C. Osimobi
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  2. G. O. Avwiri
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  3. E. O. Agbalagba
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Correspondence to E. O. Agbalagba.

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Osimobi, J.C., Avwiri, G.O. & Agbalagba, E.O. Radiometric and Radiogenic Heat Evaluation of Natural Radioactivity in Soil Around Solid Minerals Mining Environment in South-Eastern Nigeria. Environ. Process. 5, 859–877 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40710-018-0336-1

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