ASSESSMENT OF NATURAL RADIOACTIVITY AND RADON EMANATION RATE FROM TIN MINE TAILINGS SITES AT JOS, NIGERIA
ASSESSMENT OF NATURAL RADIOACTIVITY AND RADON EMANATION RATE FROM TIN MINE TAILINGS SITES AT JOS, NIGERIA
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Date
2020-03
Authors
ABDULWAHAB, Muhammad Bashir
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Abstract
The tin mining activities in Jos result in a byproduct conventionally known as tailing(s). The
release of this Radon gas into the atmosphere and the naturally occurring Radionuclide
Materials associated with these tailings have radiological implications. In this research,
assessment ofnaturally occurring Radionuclide Materials, radon emanation rate and relevant
radiological hazard indices have been carried out in three tailing sites in Jos, Nigeria using
Gamma ray spectroscopy and RAD7 detector. For Jos North LGA, the mean 226Ra, 232Th and
40K activity concentrations are 64.21±10.33, 441.37±57.13 and 84.72± 11.37respectively.
For Barkinladi LGA, the mean 226Ra, 232Th and 40K activity concentrations are 52.36±7.99,
863.77±120.97 and 80.56±14.00 respectively. Finally, the mean 226Ra, 232Th and 40K
activity concentrations for Jos south LGA are 30.32±4.03, 324.42±85.22 and 53.61±6.79
respectively. The activity concentration of K-40 exceeds that of Th-232 and Ra-226 in all the
three tailing sites. The absorbed dose range from 92.49 – 119.47 nGyhr-1 with a mean value
of 101.79 nGyhr-1for Jos North LGA. For Barikinladi LGA, the value ranges from 86.48 –
132.72 with a mean value of 112.34 nGyhr-1. Finally, for Jos South LGA, the absorbed dose
range from 52.27 – 69.11 nGyhr-1 with a mean value of 62.33 nGyhr-1. The equivalent dose
however does not exceed the acceptable limit in any of the sampling area. Both the internal
and external hazard index suggests that the radiological risk associated with the tailing site
for Jos North and Barikinladi is too close to the acceptable limit of 1 mGyyr-1. This implies
that the radiological hazard potential in the areas is quite significant and thus radiation
exposure mitigation steps need to be taken accordingly. Jos South tailing site is generally safe
from radiation hazard point of view since there is no significant value recorded in all the radiological hazard indices.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER DEGREE IN
NUCLEAR PHYSICS
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS,
FACULTY OF PHYSICAL SCIENCES,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY,
ZARIA, NIGERIA
Keywords
ASSESSMENT,, NATURAL RADIOACTIVITY,, RADON EMANATION RATE,, TIN MINE TAILINGS SITES,, JOS,, NIGERIA