Assessment of Radionuclide Concentrations and Absorbed Dose from Consumption of Community Water Supplies in Oil and Gas Producing Areas in Delta State, Nigeria

Pascal Tchokossa, James Bolarinwa Olomo, Fatai Akintunde Balogun

.

DOI: 10.4236/wjnst.2011.13012                

Abstract

A survey of radioactivity concentration in water supplies used for domestic and industrial purposes in the oil and gas producing communities of Delta State, Nigeria was carried out using a well-calibrated High-Purity Germanium (HPGe) detector system. The study area was partitioned into ten sections and a total of two samples per partition were collected for analysis. Samples of water from a non-producing area were also collected as control. In all, a total number of forty three samples were collected and analyzed. Each sample was acidified at the rate of 10 ml of 11 M HCl per litre of water to prevent the absorption of radionuclides into the wall of the container and sealed in a properly cleaned container for at least one month so as to attain a state of secular radioactive equilibrium before analysis. The photopeaks observed with reliable regularity belong to the naturally occurring series-decay radionuclide headed by ²³⁸U and ²³²Th, as well as the non-series decay type ⁴⁰K. The mean specific activity obtained for ⁴⁰K was 49 ± 15 Bq L^–1 with a range of 6 - 177 Bq L^–1 while for ²³⁸U, the mean specific activity was 3 ± 1 Bq L^–1 with a range of 1 - 12 Bq L^–1 and the mean specific activity for ²³²Th was 3 ± 2 Bq L^–1 with a range of 2 - 10 Bq L^–1 and the total annual effective dose, which vary between 0 - 2 μSv y^–1, did not show any significant health impact.

Keywords

Radioactivity, Doses, Water, Gamma Spectroscopy, Oil Areas, Nigeria

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	[1] J. B. Olomo, “The Natural Radioactivity in Some Nigerians Foodstuffs,” Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, Vol. 299, No. 1-3, 1990, pp. 666-669. doi:10.1016/0168-9002(90)90866-5
[2]	W. Ciezkowski and T. A. Przylibski, “Radon Waters from Health Resorts of the Sudety Mountains (SW Poland),” Applied Radiation and Isotopes, Vol. 48, No. 6, 1997, pp. 855-856. doi:10.1016/S0969-8043(96)00305-3
[3]	A. C. Hakonson-Hayes, P. R. Fresquez and F. W. Whicker, “Assessing Potential Risks from Exposure to Natural Uraniumin Well Water,” Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, Vol. 59, No. 1, 2002, pp. 29-40. doi:10.1016/S0265-931X(01)00034-0
[4]	J. B. Olomo, P. Tchokossa and C. A. Aborisade, “Study of Radiation Protection Guidelines in the Use of Building Materials for Urban Dwellings in South-West Nigeria,” Nigerian Journal of Physics, Vol. 15, No. 1, 2003, pp. 7-13.
[5]	R. T. Eikelboom, E. Ruwiel and J. J. J. M. Gounmans, “The Building Materials Decree: An Example of a Dutch Regulation Based on the Potential Impact of Materials on the Environment,” Waste Management, Vol. 21, No. 3, 2001, pp. 295-302. doi:10.1016/S0956-053X(00)00103-3
[6]	C. Namasivayam, R. Radhika and S. Suba, “Uptake of Dyes by a Promising Locally K.S.V., Bapat, V.N., David M. Available Agricultural Solid Waste: Coir Pith,” Waste Management, Vol. 21, No. 4, 2001, pp. 381-387. doi:10.1016/S0956-053X(00)00081-7
[7]	UNEP/GEMS Environment Library No 5, “The Contamination of Food”, 1992.
[8]	C. Myttenaere, W. R. Schell, Y. Thriy, L. Sombre, C. Ronneau and J. Van Der Stegen De Schrieck, “Modelling of Cs-137 Cycling in Forest: Recent Developments and Research Needed,” The Science of the Total Environment, Vol. 136, No. 1-2, 1993, pp. 77-91. doi:10.1016/0048-9697(93)90298-K
[9]	Z. Papp, Z. Dezso and Daroczy, “Significant Radioactive Contamination of Soil around Acoal-Fired Thermal Power Plant,” Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, Vol. 59, No. 2, 2002, pp. 191-205. doi:10.1016/S0265-931X(01)00071-6
[10]	United Nation Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR), “Sources, Effects and Risks of Ionizing Radiation,” New York, 1988.
[11]	United Nation Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR), “Sources and Effects of Ionizing Radiation,” New York, 1993.
[12]	A. F. Mettler and W. K. Sinclair, “The 1986 and 1988 UNSCEAR Reports: Findings and Implications,” Health Physics, Vol. 58, No. 3, 1990, pp. 241-250. doi:10.1097/00004032-199003000-00001
[13]	M. K. Fasasi, P. Tchokossa, J. O. Ojo and F. A. Balogun, “Occurrence of Natural Radionuclides and Fallout Cesium―137 in Dry-Season Agricultural Land of South Western Nigeria,” Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Vol. 240, No. 3, 1999, p. 949. doi:10.1007/BF02349880
[14]	O. A. Osibote, J. B. Olomo, P. Tchokossa and F. A. Balogun, “Radioactivity in Milk Consumed in Nigeria Ten Years after Chernobyl Reactor Accident,” Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, Vol. 422, No. 1-3, 1999, pp. 778-783. doi:10.1016/S0168-9002(98)00996-6
[15]	C. R. Cothern and W. L. Lappenbusch, “Occurrence of Uranium in Drinking Water in the U.S.,” Health Physics, Vol. 45, 1983, pp. 89-99. doi:10.1097/00004032-198307000-00009
[16]	C. R. Cothern and W. L. Lappenbusch and M. Jacqueline, “Drinking-Water Contribution to Natural Background Radiation,” Health Physics, Vol. 50, 1986, pp. 33-47. doi:10.1097/00004032-198601000-00002
[17]	C. T. Hess, J. Michel, T. R. Horton, H. M. Prichard and W. A. Coniglio, “The Occurrence of Radioactivity in Public Water Supplies in the United States,” Health Physics, Vol. 48, 1983, pp. 553-586. doi:10.1097/00004032-198505000-00002
[18]	T. R. Horton, “Methods and Results of EPA’s Study of Radon in Drinking Water,” EPA 520/5-83-037, Eastern Environmental Research Facility, U.S. EPA Office of Radiation Programs, Montomery, 1984.
[19]	D. Laugmur and J. S. Hermanm, “The Mobility of Thorium in Natural Water at Low Temperatures,” Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, Vol. 44, No. 11, 1980, pp. 1753-1766. doi:10.1016/0016-7037(80)90226-4
[20]	J. Michel and W. S. Moore, “228Ra and 226Ra Content of Ground Water in Fall Line Acquifers,” Health Physics, Vol. 38, 1980, pp. 663-671. doi:10.1097/00004032-198004000-00014
[21]	T. A. Przylibski and A. Zebrowski, “Origin of Radon in Medicinal Waters of Ladek Zdroj (Susety Mountains, SW Poland),” Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, Vol. 46, No. 1, 1999, pp. 121-129. doi:10.1016/S0265-931X(98)00116-7
[22]	J. B. Olomo, M. K. Akinloye and F. A. Balogun, “Distribution of Gamma-Emitting Natural Radionuclides in Soils and Water around Nuclear Research Establishments, Ile-Ife, Nigeria,” Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, Vol. 353, No. 1-3, 1994, pp. 553- 557. doi:10.1016/0168-9002(94)91721-3
[23]	P. Tchokossa, J. B. Olomo and O. A. Osibote, “Radioactivity in the Community Water Supplies of Ife-Central and Ife-East Local Government Areas of Osun State, Nigeria,” Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, Vol. 422, No. 1-3, 1999, pp. 784-789. doi:10.1016/S0168-9002(98)00997-8
[24]	International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), “Me- asurements of Radionuclides in Food and the Environment,” A guidebook, Technical Report Series No. 295, IAEA, Vienna, 1989.
[25]	International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), “Limits for Intakes of Radionuclides by Workers,” ICRP Publication 30, Vol. 4, No. 3-4, 1980, pp. 11-12.
[26]	International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), “Principles for Limiting Exposure of the Public to Natural Sources of Radiation,” ICRP Publication 39, Vol. 14, No. 1, 1984, p. 17.
[27]	National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP), “Exposure of the Population in the United States and Canada from Natural Background Radiation,” NCRP Report No 94, Bethesda MD 20814, 1987.
[28]	D. Langmuir, “Uranium Deposits,” Mineralogy and Origin, Handbook 3, 1978.
[29]	J. Molinari and W. J. Snodgrass, “The Chemistry and Radiochemistry of Radium and the Other Elements of the Uranium and Thorium Natural Decay Series,” The Environmental Behavior of Radium, IAEA 1, 1990, pp. 1-56.
[30]	A. S. Paschoa, “Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) and Petroleum Origin,” Applied Radiation and Isotopes, Vol. 48, No. 10-12, 1997, pp. 1391-1396. doi:10.1016/S0969-8043(97)00134-6
[31]	World Health Organisation, “Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality,” 2nd Edition, Vol. 1, 1993, pp. 114-121.
[32]	International Commission on Radiological Protection, (ICRP), “Doses Coefficients for Intake of Radionuclides by Workers: Replacement of ICRP Publication 61,” Pergamon Press, Oxford, ICRP Publication 68, 1994.
[33]	International Commission on Radiological Protection, (ICRP), “1990 Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection,” Annals of ICRP, ICRP Publication 60, Vol. 21, No. 1-3, 1991, pp. 1-201.
[34]	Z. Weihai, I. Takao and X. T. Y., “Occurrence of Rn-222, Ra-226, Ra-228 and U in Groundwater in Fujian Province, China,” Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, Vol. 53, 2001, pp. 11-120.
[35]	K. Ulback and O. Klinder, “Radium and Radon in Danish Drinking Water,” Radiation Protection and Dosimetry, Vol. 7, No. 1-4, 1984, pp. 87-89.
[36]	C. Kralik, M. Friedrich and F. Vojir, “Natural Radionuclides in Bottled Water in Austria,” Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, Vol. 65, 2003, pp. 233-241. doi:10.1016/S0265-931X(02)00099-1
[37]	S. Labidi, M. Dochraoui, Mahjoubi, N. B. Lemaitre, R. Salah and S. Mtimet, “Natural Radioactive Nuclides in Some Tunisian Thermo-Mineral Springs,” Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, Vol. 62, 2002, pp. 8-96. doi:10.1016/S0265-931X(01)00153-9
[38]	J. Somlai, G. Horvath, B. Kanyar, T. Kovacs, E. Bodrogi and N. Kavasi, “Concentration of Ra-226 in Hungarian Bottled Mineral Water,” Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, Vol. 62, 2002, pp. 235-240. doi:10.1016/S0265-931X(01)00166-7
[39]	L. I. Pujol and J. A. Sandez-Cabeza, “Natural and Artificial Radioactivity in Surface Waters of the Ebro River Basin (Northeast Spain),” Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, Vol. 51, No. 2, 2000, pp. 181-210. doi:10.1016/S0265-931X(00)00076-X