Radiological Dose Assessment due to the Presence of Norms in the Top Soil of the Imo State Polytechnic, Imo State Nigeria

Benedict Chukwudi Eke; Chijioke M Amakom; Udoka Mathias Ukewuihe; Idowu Richard Akomolafe; Benedict Ositadimma Ejelonu; Benjamin Okechukwu Okereke

doi:10.1177/11786302221137219

Radiological Dose Assessment due to the Presence of Norms in the Top Soil of the Imo State Polytechnic, Imo State Nigeria

Environ Health Insights. 2022 Nov 14:16:11786302221137219. doi: 10.1177/11786302221137219. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Benedict Chukwudi Eke¹, Chijioke M Amakom¹, Udoka Mathias Ukewuihe¹, Idowu Richard Akomolafe², Benedict Ositadimma Ejelonu¹, Benjamin Okechukwu Okereke¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Physics, School of Physical Sciences, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo, Nigeria.
² Department of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Crown-Hill University, Ilorin, Nigeria.

Abstract

A study on the radiological dose assessment due to the presence of natural radionuclides in the top soil of Imo state Polytechnic was carried out using a gamma spectroscopic method. From the activity concentrations of natural radionuclides in the topsoil, the absorbed dose rate and annual effects of doses were established. The activity concentrations ranged from 59.20 to 203.78 Bqkg^-1, 8.74 to 45.78 Bqkg^-1, and 12.73 to 44.01 Bqkg^-1 for the radionuclides ⁴⁰K, ²²⁶Ra, and ²³²Th respectively. The absorbed dose rates ranged from 16.70 to 52.10 nGyh^-1 while the indoor and outdoor annual effective doses ranged from 20.48 to 63.89 µSvy^-1 and 81.94 to 255.58 µSvy^-1 respectively. From the results, it shows that the radiation from natural radionuclides in the top soil posed no radiological threat to the population of the institution.

Keywords: Imo polytechnic; Natural radionuclides; Radiation dose; absorbed dose; annual effective dose.