CONSTRUCTION OF A ZIRCON- CEMENT PAD AND CALIBRATION OF PORTABLE SURVEY METERS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RADIATION MEASUREMENTS
CONSTRUCTION OF A ZIRCON- CEMENT PAD AND CALIBRATION OF PORTABLE SURVEY METERS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RADIATION MEASUREMENTS
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Date
2006-04
Authors
Aliyu, Habiba Altine
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Abstract
Zircon sand, a by-product of tin mining was collected from N’gell valley Tin
Mining Company at 42km along Barikin Ladi road in Plateau State. The sand
was characterized for activity content using NaI(Tl) scintillation detector. The
activity of thorium in the zircon sand was 9726.151±20.16Bq/kg, while that of
radium-was 538.848±10.08Bq/kg. The activity of cement was found to be very
minimal with radium being 23.124±1.636Bq/kg, potassium 4.648±1.446Bq/kg
and thorium 34.845±1.655Bq/kg. A ratio of two parts zircon sand to one part
cement was thoroughly mixed with water to construct the calibration slab.
Measurement of the activity over the slab from equidistant positions from the
center shows that activity was uniformly distributed. The theoretical dose-rates at
different heights from the center were calculated and were used to derive the
calibration factor for different detectors available. The calibration factors for the
three detectors are LUDLUM NaI(Tl) survey meter 0.509, X-ray and Gamma
radiation ATK1120 0.233 and RDS-120 survey meter .39. The slab can be used
as a calibration pad for calibrating survey meters for environmental radiation
level measurements.
Description
Thesis submitted to the Postgraduate School,
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in partial fulfillment
of the Requirement for the Award of
Master of Science in Radiation Biophysics
April 2006