Evaluation of Gamma Radiation Dose Level in Mining Sites of Riruwai, Kano, Nigeria
Keywords:
Absorbed dose, cancer, gamma radiation, mining areas, radiological hazardsAbstract
Communication in Physical Sciences, 2022, 8(1): 101-108
Authors: Aminu Ismaila*, Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu and Yakub Viva Ibrahim
Received: 15 February 2022/Accepted 16 April 2022
Some radioelements are natural with redistribution related to human activities like mining. Human beings are constantly associated with these radioelements through water and food intake and may be exposed to background natural radiation from terrestrial and cosmic sources. Among all types of radiation, gamma rays are the most penetrating radiation that emanates from natural and artificial sources. External exposure to gamma radiation varies from one location to another, depending on the geological composition, and elemental content (especially those of U, Th and K in rocks of a particular region). In this study, gamma radiations around mining areas in Riruwai were measured using RadEye Portable Radiation Detector. Gamma dose measurements were taken from 40 sampling locations and at 1 m above the soil surface. Geographical coordinates of the locations were taken using a Global Positioning System (GPS). The analyses show that the gamma radiation dose level attended a mean value of 749 nGy/hr which is thirteen times greater than the maximum permissible value (57-59 nGy/hr) recommended by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR). The mean indoor and outdoor annual effective doses (AED) were 0.91 and 3.65mSv/yr, which are about three and four times more than their respective world average values of 0.3 mSv/y and 1mSv/y respectively. The Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk (ELCR) factors were 2.51 ×10-3 and 10.5 ×10-3 for indoor and outdoor respectively and these correspond to a nine-fold increase of their world average values of 0.29 × 10−3 and 1.16 × 10−3 as prescribed by the UNSCEAR. The computed data indicated that miners and the public residing close to the mining zone may be at risk and there is a need for an urgent remediation process. The results of this study can provide valuable information on radiological risk which could be used for radiation safety and protection and in the utilization of the soil in the region for agriculture and domestic use. It also contributes to baseline radiological data that could be used by the policymakers and for future studies
Downloads
References
Abba, H. T., Hassan, W. M. S. W., & Saleh, M. A. (2018). Evaluation of environmental natural radioactivity levels in soil and groundwater of Barkin Ladi, Plateau State, Nigeria." Malaysian Journal of Fundamental and Applied Sciences, 14, 3, pp. 338-342.
Abba, H. T., Hassan, W. M. S. W., Saleh, M. A., Aliyu, A. S., & Ramli, A. T. (2017). "Estimation of Terrestrial gamma radiation (TGR) dose rate in characteristic geological formations of Jos Plateau, Nigeria. Malaysian Journal of Fundamental and Applied Sciences,13, 4, pp. 593-597.
Adabanija, M. A., Anie, O. N., & Oladunjoye, M. A (2020). Radioactivity and gamma-ray spectrometry of basement rocks in Okene area, southwestern Nigeria. NRIAG Journal of Astronomy and Geophysics, 9, 1, pp. 71-84.
Akpanowo, M., Umaru, I., Iyakwari, S., Joshua, E. O., Yusuf, S., & Ekong, G. B. (2020). "Determination of natural radioactivity levels and radiological hazards in environmental samples from artisanal mining sites of Anka, North-West Nigeria. Scientific African, 10, e00561, pp. 6-11.
Aliyu, A. S., Ismaila, A., Na'Inna, A., & Mohammed, A. (2020). Measurement of Radon Concentration in Soil Samples of Mazat and Kafi-Habu Mining Sites, Plateau, Nigeria. FUDMA Journal of Sciences, 4, 4, pp. 295-301.
Faanu, A., Adukpo, O. K., Tettey-Larbi, L., Lawluvi, H., Kpeglo, D. O., Darko, E. O., Emi-Reynolds, G., Awudu, R. A., Kansaana, C., & Amoah, P. A, Efa, A. O., Ibrahim, A. D., Agyeman, B., Kpodzro. R., & Agyeman, L. (2016). Natural radioactivity levels in soils, rocks and water at a mining concession of Perseus gold mine and surrounding towns in Central Region of Ghana. SpringerPlus, 5, 98, pp. 1-16.
Ibeneme S. I., Oha, I. A., Abdulsalam, N. N. & Onuoha, M. K. (2018). Improved mapping of the structural disposition of some younger granite ring complexes of Nigeria using high-resolution aeromagnetic data. Journal of Geology & Geophysics, 7, 4, pp. 1-13.
ICRP (2018). Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. Publication 103.
Mouandza, S. Y. L., Moubissil, A. B., Abiama, P. E., Ekogol, T. B., & Ben-Bolie, G. H. (2018). Study of natural radioactivity to Assess of radiation hazards from soil samples collected from Mounana in south-east of Gabon. International Journal of Radiation Research, 16, 4, pp. 443-453.
NPC (2006). Provisional of 2006 Census Results. N. P. C. (NPC).
Olasehinde, A., Ashano, E. C., & Singh, G. P. (2012). Analysis of Magnetic Anomaly Over the Riruwai Younger Granite Ring Complex: A Geodynamic Implication. Continental J. Earth Sciences, 7, 1, pp. 9 – 18.
Saied, B. M., Al-Khafaji, R. M., & Al-Bayati, A. T. (2016). Measurement of Uranium Concentration in the Soil Samples by Using Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors (SSNTDs). International Journal of Scientific Research in Science and Technology, 2, 4, pp.130-135.
UNSCEAR (2000). Sources and effects of ionizing radiation, United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. New York.
UNSCEAR (2010). Sources and Effects of Ionizing Radiation, United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, UNSCEAR 2008 Report to the General Assembly with Scientific Annexes. New York, United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, 1, pp. 235-236.
Usikalu, M., Maleka, P. P., Ndlovu, N. B., Zongo, S., Achuka, J. A., & Abodunrin, T. J. (2019). Radiation dose assessment of soil from Ijero Ekiti, Nigeria. Cogent Engineering, 6, 1586271, pp. 1- 11.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
