Abstract
Radon has been recognized as one of the major contributor to the natural radiation and health hazards in the human dwellings, working places and mining areas. Even lung cancer is expected if it is present in enhanced levels beyond maximum permissible limit. We have studied radium contents and radon exhalation (both mass and surface) rates in Menge mining and non-mining areas of the Benishangul Gumuz region in Western Ethiopia using the sealed Can technique and LR-115 type II plastic nuclear track detectors. Fifteen soil samples were collected over the study area according to the fraction of the populations and mining and non-mining areas. It is found that the values of radium contents vary from 1.20 to 3.94 Bq.kg<sup>-1</sup> with an average value 2.44 Bq.kg<sup>-1</sup>. It is also found that gold mining areas have had relatively higher radium contents as compared to the other samples which are collected from non-mining areas. And radon exhalation study is important for understanding the relative contribution of the material to the total radon concentration found inside the study area. The radon mass and surface exhalation rates for the studied samples had the mean values of 2.16×10<sup>-6</sup> Bq.kg<sup>-1</sup>.d<sup>-1</sup> and 1.14×10<sup>-4</sup> Bq.m<sup>-2</sup>.d<sup>-1</sup> respectively.
Highlights
The largest contributor of ionizing radiation to the population is natural radioactivity
We address the radium contents and radon exhalation rates in soil samples collected from urban area of Menge district in the Western part of Benishangul Gumuz region which is located in Western Ethiopia
The values of radium content, mass exhalation rates and surface exhalation rates in the soil samples collected from area within two kilo-meters around Down Kebeles’, Menge district, Benishangul Gumuz Region, Ethiopia, are depicted in table 1, figure 3, figure 4 and figure 5 respectively
Summary
The largest contributor of ionizing radiation to the population is natural radioactivity It is present everywhere within us and surrounding environment in varying concentrations [1,2,3,4,5]. The naturally occurring radionuclides present in the soil are mainly Uranium (238U), Radium (226Ra), Thorium (232Th) and Potassium (40K) These radionuclides cause radiological hazard externally due to the gamma ray emission and internally due to inhalation of radon and its progeny [8]. When human exposure to natural radiation source is considered, radon and its short lived decay products in the environment are the most important contributors [9,10,11,12,13]. The main contributors to indoor radon concentrations are soil gas emanating from the Tadesse Abate and Demewoz Amtatie: Investigation of Radium Contents and Radon Exhalation Rates in Soil
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