Radiological Health Risk from Gamma Radiation of Tombia Roundabout, Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Abstract

Measurement of background ionizing radiation of Tombia roundabout, Yenegoa, Bayelsa state was successfully carried out. This research was executed with the use of GQ GMC – 300E plus Geiger Muller counter nuclear Radiation meter to measure background ionizing radiation and Global Positioning System (GPS) to record the geographical coordinates of the sample location. The study location was divided into four (4) sub-locations linked with the Tombia roundabout and 30 sample points were randomly measured respectively. The exposure rate ranged from 0.011 mR/h to 0.13 mR/h with a mean value of 0.0118±0.0005 mR/h, which is quite lower than the acceptable limit of 0.0133 mR/h of ICRP, the absorbed dose ranged from 95.7 nGy/hr to 113.1 nGy/hr with a mean value of 102.2±4.16 nGy/hr, which is lesser than the world average of 89.0 nGy/hr (UNSCEAR). The Annual effective dose has varied from 0.15 mSv/y to 0.17 mSv/y with a mean value of 0.16±0.005 mSv/y, which is lower than the acceptable limit of 1.0 mSv/y(ICRP), and the excess lifetime cancer risk ranged from 0.51 to 0.61 with a mean value of 0.55±0.05 x10-³ which is quite higher than the world average of 0.29x10-³ (UNSCEAR). Even though there is no visible radiological health threat the chances of contracting the cancer-related illness is significant due to the value of ELCR. It is therefore recommended that the exposure to sources of ionizing radiation should be minimized, and the government should provide a waste management plan to protect the environment and the general populace.