GET THE APP

Determination of radium equivalent activity from natural occurring radionuclide around a superphosphate fertilizer factory in Nigeria | Abstract
Scholars Research Library

Scholars Research Library

A-Z Journals

+44 7389645282

Archives of Applied Science Research

Abstract

Determination of radium equivalent activity from natural occurring radionuclide around a superphosphate fertilizer factory in Nigeria

Author(s): Taiwo A. O., Adeyemo D. J., Ibrahim Y. V. and Bappah I. A.

Man is continuously being exposed to radiation due to its presence everywhere on earth. This study is aimed at
determining the radium equivalent activity from the soil samples collected from different locations around a
superphosphate fertilizer factory in Nigeria. An efficiency and Energy calibrated high purity germanium detector
was used to carry out the study while gamma vision software was used for the spectrum analysis. The Activity
Concentrations of the soil samples collected from the different locations in the factory ranges from 48.99±7.47 to
520.37±20.46 BqKg-1 for 234U, 55.32±7.59 to 215.18±8.70 BqKg-1 for 232Th, and 101.32±13.34 to 476.04±28.07
BqKg-1 for 40K respectively. The radium equivalent activity was found to be within the range of 215.59 to 607.29
with most of the soil samples having values less than the world allowed value for radium equivalent activity which is
370 Bq/Kg. Hence radiologically the operation of the factory does not appear to pose immediate threat to the
factory workers.