Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-vdxz6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T13:59:55.268Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Occupational exposure to natural radionuclides due to miningactivities in Ibadan, Southwestern Nigeria

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 March 2010

J. A. Ademola  and
N. E. Okpalaonwuka
J. A. Ademola
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
N. E. Okpalaonwuka
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
Get access

Abstract

The activity concentrations of potassium, uranium and thorium in minerals and soilsamples from a mining site in Ibadan, Southwestern Nigeria were measured using gamma rayspectroscopy method. Effective dose per annum has been calculated from the activityconcentrations of dominant gamma-emitting natural radionuclides, potassium, uranium andthorium. Samples collected include minerals (beryl, quartz and feldspar), soil samplesfrom the mining pits, heaps and undisturbed land around the mining site. The activityconcentrations of 40K, 238U and 232Th, respectively in Bqkg-1 in the mineral samples were as follows: 1985 ± 16, 4.8 ± 0.9 and 11.8 ±5.8 for beryl sample, 115.1 ± 27.9, 5.0 ± 1.3 and 6.3 ± 5.0 for feldspar samples and 1421± 122, <4.8 and 20.1 ± 3.5 for quartz samples. For the soil samples, the meanactivity concentrations of 40K, 238U and 232Th,respectively, were 314.2 ± 5.7, 27.7 ± 2.6 and 11.5 ± 5.9 Bq kg-1 for soilsamples from the pits and 278.1 ± 5.4, 21.1 ± 2.0 and 15.3 ± 7.5 Bq kg-1 forsoil samples from heaps. The mean activity concentrations of soil samples from theundisturbed land around the mining site were 194.3 ± 25.2, 14.5 ± 5.1 and 13.3 ± 5.9 Bqkg-1 for 40K, 238U and 232Th, respectively.The effective dose to which the miners are exposed according to exposure scenarios werecalculated as 89.9 μSv y-1 for digging and handling of soil and mineral samplesin the pit and 63.6 μSv y-1 for handling of soil and mineral samples at theheaps.

Keywords

Occupational exposurenatural radionuclideseffective dosemining
Type
Article
Information
Radioprotection , Volume 45 , Issue 1 , January 2010 , pp. 43 - 53
Copyright
© EDP Sciences, 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Adekoya J.A. (2003) Environmental implication of mineral exploration, Nigeria Mining and Geosciences Society, 117–122.
Ademola J.A. (2004) Radiation dose from concrete building blocks in eight cities of Southwestern Nigeria, Ph.D. thesis, Department of Physics University of Ibadan.
Ademola, J.A. (2008) Exposure to High Background Radiation Level in the Tin Mining Area of Jos Plateau, Nigeria. J. of Radiol. Prot. 28, 93–99.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Battey M.H., Pring, A. (1997) Mineralogy for students, 3rd edn. Addison and Wesley Longman Higher Education, London.
Deer W.A., Howie R.A., Zussman J. (1992) An introduction to the rock-forming minerals. Longman Scientific & Technical, London.
Eckerman K.F., Ryman J.C. (1993) Federal Guidance Report No. 12: External exposure to radionuclides in air, water and soil (Washington, DC: US Environmental Protection Agency Office of Radiation and Indoor Air), EPA 402-R-93-081.
IAEA (1989) International Atomic Energy Agency. Measurements of radionuclides in food and the environment – A Guidebook, STI/DOC/10/295, Vienna.
IAEA (1999) International Atomic Energy Agency. Assessment of occupational exposure due to external sources of radiation, Safety Guide No. RS-G-1.3, Vienna.
IAEA (2003) International Atomic Energy Agency. Assessing radiation doses to the public from radionuclides in timber and wood product, IAEA-TECDOC-1376, Vienna.
ICRP Publication 68 (1994) Dose coefficients for intakes of radionuclides by workers, Ann. ICRP 29(1-2).
Itiola O.A. (1998) Aspect of economic geology of Olode-Falansa pegmatite deposit, Ibadan South-Western Nigeria, M.Sc. project, Department of Geology, University of Ibadan.
Mustapha, A.O., Mbuzukongira, P.Mangala, M.J. (2007) Occupational radiation exposure of artisans mining columbite-tantalite in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, J. Radiol. Prot. 27, 187-195.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Oatway W.B., Moobs S.F. (2003) Methodology for estimating the doses to members of the public from the future use of land previously contaminated with radioactivity, NRPB-W36 Report, Chilton, NRPB.
Pires do Rio, M.A., Amaral, E.C.S., Fernandes, H.M., Rochedo, E.R.R. (2002) Environmental radiological impact associated with non-uranium mining industries: a proposal for screening criteria, J. Environ. Radioact. 59, 1-7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sam, A.K., Awad Al-Geed, M.M. (2000) Radiological Evaluation of Gold Mining Activities in Ariab (Eastern Sudan), Radiat. Prot. Dosim. 88, 335-340.Google Scholar
UNSCEAR (2000) United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effect of Atomic Radiation. Sources and Effects of Ionizing Radiation. UNSCEAR publication, Vol. 1.