ASSESSMENT OF RADIOLOGICAL HAZARD INDICES FROM SURFACE SOIL TO INDIVIDUALS FROM MAJOR MARKETS AT SAGAMU OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Assessment  of  radioactivity  concentrations  of
40
K,
238
U  and
232
Th  in
surface soil samples of major markets at Sagamu, Ogun State in Nigeria
had  been  determined  by  gamma  spectrometry  using  Sodium  Iodide
Thallium  doped  NaI  (TI)  detector  coupled  with  a  pre-amplifier  base  to  a
multiple  channel  analyzer  (MCA).  10  samples  each  were  collected  from
three  major  markets:  Falawo,  Awolowo  and  Sabo.  Highest  radioactivity
concentrations  of
40
K,  and
238
U   were  obtained  from  Falawo  market soil
samples  with  values  1274.26  ±  4.26  Bq/kg  and  40.72  ±  3.12  Bq/kg
respectively while that of
232
Th  was obtained from Sabo soil sample with
value  115.62  ±  16.39  Bq/kg.  The  mean  external  hazard  index  (Hex)  and
mean  internal  hazard  index  (Hin)  for  all  the  soil  samples  from  Falawo
market  were  calculated  to  be  0.616  Bq/kg  and  0.691Bq/kg  respectively,
and  that  of  Awolowo  market  were  0.566  Bq/kg  and  0.634  Bq/kg
respectively. Also for Sabo market the mean values were calculated to be
0.594  Bq/kg  and  0.658  Bq/kg respectively.  All  the  values  obtained  were
less  than  1.0   Bq/kg  as  recommended  for  safety  and  therefore  have  no
negative  radiological  health  implication  to  the  people  within  the  markets
and their environs.