Radioactivity in the community water supplies of Ife-Central and Ife-East local government areas of Osun State, Nigeria

Abstract

The average concentrations of radionuclides in the various types of community water supplies of the Ife-Central and Ife-East Local Government areas with a population of 200 000 people were estimated from the measurements of mean specific activity using a well-calibrated Canberra vertical coaxial high-purity germanium detector system. Water samples were collected from dam, streams, boreholes, wells, tap water, etc., being the most frequently used water sources in the study area. The radionuclides observed with reliable regularity belonged to the series – decay naturally occurring radionuclides headed by 238U and 232Th as well as the non-series nuclide, 40K. The average specific activity values obtained for 226Ra, 228Ra and 40K, respectively, were 8.67±4.28, 2.31±1.48 and 98.99±6.23 Bq l −1 for well water; 12.45±3.39, 3.02±0.64 and 97.46±6.35 Bq l −1 for borehole water; 12.41±1.37, 2.47±0.09 and 85.06±17.27 Bq l −1 for tap water; 10.40±1.70, 2.70±1.30 and 72.60±9.10 Bq l −1 for dam water; 7.04±0.66, 3.55±0.13 and 69.18±20.80 Bq l −1 for stream water.