Gross &#945 and &#946 Activity Concentration and Estimation of Adults and Infants Dose intake in Surface and Ground Water of Ten Oil Fields Environment in Western Niger Delta of Nigeria

Abstract

The oil and gas rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria is characterized by environmental degradation leading to environmental pollution from oil and gas activities. This study examined the gross α and β activity in thirty (river/stream, well and tap) water samples collected from ten oil fields in the Western Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The counting system employed in this analysis is the Gas-flow proportional counter {Eurisys Measure IN20 low-background multiple (eight) channel counter}. Gross alpha activity concentration range from 0.01±0.002 to 0.7±0.01 (0.15±0.003) Bql-1 , 0.01±0.003 to 0.5±0.01 (0.1±0.003)Bql-1 and 0.02±0.001 to 35.1±1.1 (4.1±0.1) Bql-1 while beta activity concentration ranged from 1.1±0.04 to 13.2±0.1 (6.0±0.1) Bql-1 , 0.7±0.1 to 54.7±1.3 (8.9±0.2)Bql-1 and 0.7±0.03 to 151.2±1.8 (40.1±0.9)Bql-1 for well, tap and river waters respectively. Correlation value between α and β activities in well, tap and river water is 0.025, 0.047 and 0.512 respectively. The results show that except for the alpha activity in the tap water samples, the average natural activity concentrations of αand β-emitting radionuclides in the samples are slightly above the WHO recommended limit. For all samples the gross β activities are higher than the corresponding gross α activities. The mean effective equivalent dose intake per year due to alpha activity in the water samples for adults and infants are: 76.4±1.8 and 20.9±55µSvy-1 , 54.6±1.3 and 14.9±0.4 µSvy-1 , and 2118±70 and 584±19.2µSvy-1 in well, tap, and river water samples respectively. The results obtained for dose intake are below the WHO recommended reference level of 0.1mSvy-1 , except for the water sample from Uzere river. This study indicates that the water sources evaluated, especially the rivers, are contaminated radiologically. @JASEM

Risk assessment of drinkable water sources using gross alpha and beta radioactivity levels and heavy metals

“…Also, this validates the prediction of gross alpha activity concentration in the samples. Similar reports are made by Agbalagba et al. (2013) and Alomari et al.…”

“…The total equivalent effective dose in the water sources showed mean value of 0.6520, 0.2675, 2.0636 and 0.3612 mSv for dam water, well water, borehole water and tap water, respectively with the lowest mean value recorded in the well water and highest mean value recorded in broehole water as shown in Figure 12 . The value obtained in this study is lower than values recorded by Agbalagba et al. (2013) and higher than 0.0678 reported for drinkable water in Nigeria ( Ogundare and Adekoya, 2015 ).…”

“…The correlation between activity concentration of gross beta and alpha in dam water, hand-dug well water, borehole water and tap water are presented in Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7, respectively. The analysis was done to ascertain availability of the same radionuclides for the beta and alpha activities of i,n the water of the same source (Agbalagba et al, 2013). The figures showed the linear correlation of alpha and beta concentration in the water sources.…”

Annual Effective Dose and Lifetime Cancer Risks Due to Natural Radioactivity in Hand –Dug Well Water of Tai Rivers State, Nigeria

“…Radionuclide in drinking water causes human internal exposure, caused by the decay of radionuclide taken into the body by ingestion and inhalation indirectly when they are incorporated as part of the human food chain [4,5] Th and others are frequently dissolved in ground water supplies (well water inclusive) and their concentrations vary over an extremely wide range, mainly depending upon the amount of radioelement in bedrock and soil with which the water comes in contact [6].…”

Evaluate the Radioactivity in Drinking Water from Kakuri, Kaduna

“…These radionuclide, when absorbed by the root as nutrient will be translocated into various parts of boreholes and wells [3][4][5]. The transfer of radionuclide from soil to water channels as nuclide specific which depends on the types of soil and water samples, mobility of the radionuclide is another important factor responsible for the concentration measure varying from soil to water, this particle cause damages to the body and the other life forms when expose to [6][7][8]. Naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) are found almost everywhere and are inherent in many geologic materials; consequently, it is encounter during geological related activities [9][10][11].…”