Abstract
Measurement of terrestrial background ionizing radiation of blacksmith workshops of Gombe State, Nigeria was carried out using well-calibrated Geiger-Muller counter meters and a meter tape. The measured average exposure rate of two line-sections are 0.018±0.002 and 0.017±0.002 mRh-1. Estimated equivalent dose rates for the two line-sections are 1.50 and 1.45 mSvy-1. The average absorbed dose rates estimated in line-section one and line-section two are 154.94 and 149.97 nGyh-1 respectively. Annual effective dose equivalent (AEDE) of 0.48 mSvy-1 was obtained for outdoor exposure in line-section one while in line-section two, AEDE was 0.23 mSvy-1. The calculated mean excess lifetime cancer risk values for the blacksmith workshop sections are 0.83x 10-3 and 0.80 x 10-3. The obtained values for background ionizing radiation in the line-sections of blacksmith workshop were above the recommended standard limit by ICRP while the absorbed doses (D) were above the recommended value and AEDE calculated in two line-sections of blacksmithing workshops were within the safe values this implies that blacksmithing activities in these areas may not influence the doses received by public. The excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) estimated were higher than their world permissible values of 0.29 x 10-3 respectively. The calculated dose to organs showed that the testes have the highest organ dose of 0.153 mSvy-1while liver has the lowest organ dose of 0.086 mSvy-1. This result shows that exposure to
Highlights
Natural environments are known to be made up of some level of radiation concentration, due to human activities these natural environments have experienced elevated level of radiation emissions
The values of the radiation exposure rate are highest at the source (0 m) which is due to abundant concentration of materials for blacksmithing operation and localized activities while the least values were obtained at 10 m away from the source in linesection one and 15 m in line-section two and these could be an outcome of attenuation in the spread of localized emission from the blacksmithing operations
The results showed that the exposure rates for the blacksmithing workshop sites are in accordance with the values recorded in all the distance of line sections one and two by Rafique et al, (2014) and Ademola and Onyema, (2014)
Summary
Natural environments are known to be made up of some level of radiation concentration, due to human activities these natural environments have experienced elevated level of radiation emissions. Aremu (2008) showed that the spongy mass of metallic iron known as the flower is mostly sold to blacksmiths after mining, with whom they produce many items, such as farm implements, hunting and fishing tools, ceremonial staff, military arms and royal political swords. This local industry has created employment opportunities starting from the miners, to blacksmiths, purveyors and even to users of products from the blacksmithing industry. Of all the crafts, blacksmithing is one of the most hazardous usually extensively marked and scars by burns and injuries gotten through their activities as well as radiation exposure. Monitoring of radiation to protect workers ' health conditions can reduce the cost of injuries
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