Assessment of radionuclides in the soil of Bonny Local Government Area Of Rivers State, Nigeria and evaluation of radiological risk

Abstract

Twenty Samples each of soil from Bonny LGA, Rivers State, Nigeria were analyzed using NaI(IT) gamma detector to estimate radiation hazard due to the anthropogenic sources. The activity concentration of ²³²Th was found to be in the range 18.78 – 397.13 BqKg^-1, ⁴⁰K in the range 43.72 – 390.62 BqKg^-1 and ²²⁶Ra in the range 10.77 – 57.84 BqKg^-1 all in soil. These results were used to calculate the radiological hazard parameters including the Annual Gonadal Equivalent Dose. The calculated gamma exposure rates ranged between 10.00 – 270.79 nGyh-1 while the average value of the Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk (ELCR) was found to be 0.38 x 10^-3 for soil which is higher than the world average of 0.29 x 10^-3.