Survey Of Gross Alpha And Beta Radioactivity In Well Water From Zaria And Its Environs

Abstract

Thirty –two samples of well water were drawn at random from wells in and aound Zaria Township, Kaduna State. Two drops of concentrated nitric acid were added in two liters of the sampled water for preservation. The samples were later evaporated and counted for gross alpha and beta in an eight-channel-gas-filled proportional counter. Results show that the range of alpha activity in water in the area is 0.58-43.19 Bq/m³, with geometric mean, 6.35&+-61617;0.45 Bq/m³. The range of beta activity is 3.58-622 Bq/m3 with geometric mean, 75.34&+-61617;1.53 Bq/m³. Further statistical analyses of the data show that both alpha and beta activities are skewed towards low values and the contour analyses show three area of elevated activity for both alpha and beta. The overall results show that the alpha and beta activities do not necessarily come from the same source and their values are below the WHO practical screening level of radioactivity in drinking water.

Keywords: Radioactivity, alpha, beta, drinking water

Nigerian Journal of Physics Vol. 19 (1) 2007: pp. 39-48