|
|
 |
| |
|
|
|
Statistical Analysis of Naturally Occurring Radionuclides arising from Mining Activities in Adamawa State, Nigeria. |
|
|
|
PP: 73-79 |
|
|
|
doi:10.18576/jrna/080111
|
|
|
|
Author(s) |
|
|
|
Soja Reuben Joseph,
Muhammad Bello Gusau,
Umar Ibrahim,
Samson Dauda Yusuf,
Nuraddeen Nasiru Garba,
|
|
|
|
Abstract |
|
|
| Mining is important, but if the activities are not under control, the host community and the general public may suffer negative impacts such as radiation exposure, environmental degradation, and the transfer of natural radionuclides from soil to plants among others. This study, statistically analysed the distribution of activity concentration of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K from soil and plants samples obtained from four mine sites in Adamawa State, Nigeria. The representative soil and plants samples obtained from the four mining sites were analysed using Sodium Iodide NaI (Tl) detector at the Centre for Energy Research and Training (CERT), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. The mean activity concentration of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in the soil samples were found to be 107.60 Bq/kg, 84.89 Bq/kg, and 475.34 Bq/kg while that of plant samples were 99.02 Bq/kg, 73.24 Bq/kg and 269.4 Bq/kg respectively. These values were all higher than the United Nations Scientific Community on the effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR’s) world standard values of 32 Bq/kg, 45 Bq/kg and 420 Bq/kg for soil and plants except for 40K which was lower in plant samples. Though, high activity concentrations poses significant hazard to the host communities around the mining sites that have extreme values, the competent Authority saddled with the responsibility of ensuring compliance with radiation protection standards in Nigeria need to establish the safety reserves from these mining areas for proper guidelines that will ensure suitable protection of the host communities. Awareness for the communities around the mining sites is necessary, in order to understand the detrimental effects of the natural radionuclides in soil and plant present around the vicinity of the mines, which could results to harmful effects to both the public and the environmental. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
