Natural Radio Activity Levels in Water and Soil at Kemessie Hot Spring, North-Eastern Ethiopia

Abstract

Natural Radioactivity levels in soil and water supplies remain of interest because of the radiation-induced public health hazards. A large part of the Ethiopian population relies on springs for their drinking water. The present work investigated radioactivity level in soil and water of 12 samples collected from different locations of Kemessie. Concentrations of radionuclides in soils and water samples were determined by gamma-ray spectrometer using a NaI (Tl) detector. The mean activity level of the natural radionuclides 238U, 232Th and 40K are 248.71±20.8, 60.1±3 and 576.46 ± 39.86 Bqkg-1 respectively from soil at Kemessie. The mean activity level of the same radionuclides from water samples are 2.30±0.05, 1.70±0.53 and 17.70±1.53 BqL-1. Also radium equivalent activity, total dose rates, internal and external hazard indices of the soil and water samples under consideration were calculated. The results showed that the average radium equivalent activity, total absorbed dose rate, internal and external hazard indices from soil samples at Kemessie are higher than recommended values. However for water samples all the hazard indices are within safety limits. The paper recommends further studies to estimate internal and external doses from other suspected radiological sources to the population in the region. Such studies can further be extended to many hot springs in this country.