Original Article
The 226Ra, 232Th and 40K contents in the Abakaliki
baked shale construction materials and their potential radiological risk to
public health, southeastern Nigeria
Author(s): Celestine Okogbue and Mathias Nweke*
Natural radioactivity associated with the Abakaliki baked shale as construction materials was measured using gamma spectrometry to establish radiological risk to public health. From the results, the mean activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K are 38.852 ± 2.829 Bqkg–1, 69.589 ± 1.759 Bqkg–1 and 557.667 ± 3.002 Bqkg–1 respectively, higher than the world average concentrations of 35 Bqkg-1, 45 Bqkg-1 and 420 Bqkg–1 respectively. The radiation hazard indices such as air absorbed dose ranged from 67.22 to 108.7 nGyh-1 higher than the world average value of 55 nGyh-1 [United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, UNSCEAR]. The annual effective dose which ranged from 0.08 to 0.13 mSvy-1 are less than the annual effective dose limit [E] of 1.0 mSvy-1 for humans. The Radium equivalent activities [Raeq] [146.23 -2.. Read More»
DOI:
10.4172/2591-7641.1000012
+447915641605
