Spatial Distribution of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials in Soil and the Consequent Population Effective Dose

Abstract

Protection and assessment of any radiation pollution resulting from the use and disposal of radioactive materials to the large extent is based on the knowledge of natural radioactivity levels of an environment. Therefore, this work was designed to determine the distribution of naturally occurring radionuclides materials (NORMs) (in some residential areas within plateau state). Concentrations of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K in soil across the eight geological formations of Jos Plateau were measured using high resolution HPGe detector. The activity of ²²⁶Ra varied between 34 1 and 1006  Bq kg^-1, 67 2 and 1695 37 for ²³²Th and between 67 4 and 2465 45 Bq kg^-1for ⁴⁰K.The mean concentration exceeded their corresponding global average values. Annual effective dose due to gamma radiation for general public were within the permissible limit of 1 mSv. The radiometric data obtained from the study could be useful for geochemical exploration in the study area.