Abstract
Measurement of natural radioactivity in soil samples from the Agbara Industrial area, Nigeria, was measured using gamma-ray spectrometry with NaI (Tl) detector. The concentration of 238U ranged from 10.21±3.50 to 67.41±18.2 Bqkg-1, from 26.43±10.8 to 96.24±18.81 for 232Th and from 298.65±60.70 to 840.52±150.25 Bqkg-1 for 40K. Their means were, respectively, 28.69±11.00, 45.86±10.25, and 481.22±106.17 Bqkg-1 . Annual effective varies from 0.08 to 0.16 mSv y-1 with a mean of 0.11 mSv y-1. The mean contamination factor was 0.87 for 228Ra, 1.02 for 232Th and, 1.15 for 40K.The soil is moderately polluted with 232Th and 40K. The Pollution Level Index indicates a drop in soil quality in about 50% of the areas covered. The mean cancer risk (0.4 x 10-3 ) obtained in this study is above the World Health Organization limit, indicating a high probability for inhabitants to develop lung cancer in the long term when a lifetime is spent in this area under study.
Highlights
Measurement of natural radioactivity in soil samples from the Agbara Industrial area, Nigeria, was measured using gamma-ray spectrometry with NaI (Tl) detector
The maximum concentration of 40K was obtained in S7 (840.52±150.25 Bqkg-1), while the minimum was from S14 (298.65±60.70)
The radionuclide concentrations are in the order 238U
Summary
Measurement of natural radioactivity in soil samples from the Agbara Industrial area, Nigeria, was measured using gamma-ray spectrometry with NaI (Tl) detector. The concentration of 238U ranged from 10.21±3.50 to 67.41±18.2 Bqkg-1, from 26.43±10.8 to 96.24±18.81 for 232Th and from298.65±60.70 to 840.52±150.25 Bqkg-1 for 40K Their means were, respectively, 28.69±11.00, 45.86±10.25, and 481.22±106.17 Bqkg-1. The Pollution Level Index indicates a drop in soil quality in about 50% of the areas covered. The level of natural radioactivity of an area depends on its geology, rocks, and soil types (Tzortzis et al, 2004). Radioactivity in soils is gaining considerable interest from researchers both in Nigeria and abroad because it estimates public doses and predicts changes caused by radionuclides in the environment (UNSCEAR, 2000). The study aimed to measure natural radioactivity in soil samples from the Agbara Industrial area, Nigeria. The results obtained will be used to estimate the radiological hazards and pollution level index
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