Indoor and Outdoor Gamma Dose Rate Exposure Levels in Major Commercial Building Material Distribution Outlets and Their Radiological Implications to Occupants in Ibadan, Nigeria

The indoor and outdoor gamma exposure levels at commercial distribution stores/shops where different brands of building materials are sold at Iwo road market in Ibadan, Nigeria have been determined. The direct measurements of the gamma exposure levels were made using a calibrated RADEYE G-10 gamma survey meter.  Typical mean dose rate obtained in the stores/shops were 0.140 ± 0.01 ?Sv/h (indoor) and 0.124 ± 0.02 ?Sv/h(outdoor) for floor Tiles, 0.11± 0.01 ?Sv/h (indoor) and 0.103 ± 0.020 ?Sv/h (outdoor) for wall tiles and 0.098 ± 0.010 ?Sv/h (indoor) and 0.089 ± 0.020 ?Sv/h(outdoor) for water closet respectively. The calculated annual effective doses for indoor and outdoor were 0.520 ± 0.01 mSv and 0.46 ± 0.02 mSv for floor tiles respectively while it was 0.42 ± 0.01 mSv and 0.37 ± 0.02 mSv and 0.367 ± 0.01 mSv and 0.333 ± 0.02 mSv for wall tiles and water closet respectively. The results showed that the building materials at these stores/shops have slightly increased the natural radiation dose exposure levels in the area and to the occupants. The study also indicated that the occupants at the shops may be subjects for elevated levels of radon exposure due to confined space and poor ventilation. Keywords: Indoor gamma exposure, Outdoor gamma exposure, Building materials, Building material shop outlets, Annual effective dose

Application of ICT and Electronic Technology in Election Management: Challenges in Rural Areas in South-Eastern Nigeria

This paper has presented the applications of Information Communication Technology and election management. The study has reviewed several challenges and bottleneck encountered in the electoral democratic system in Nigeria election. During the study, the use of electronic technology adoption in the electoral process has actually reduced human involvement in election process; this is due to irregularities and incessant increase in violence among electorates, party agents and other stakeholders. The relevance of this paper is to address the integration of ICT as well as electronic digital devices in carryout electrons in Nigeria. The research was conducted in the rural areas of the South-Eastern Nigeria States, it was discovered that about 60% of the respondent stated that the use of electronic technology in the deployment to rural areas has inadequate trained personnel in effective handling of the gadgets, issues on the use of card reader malfunctioning was also sported out. It was recommended that the electoral bodies should sensitized, make adequate available of electronic devices for efficient and effective election management in Nigeria

COMPARISON OF ACTIVITY CONCENTRATIONS OF NATURAL RADIONUCLIDES IN SOILS COLLECTED AT DIFFERENT DEPTHS OF SELECTED HAND-DUG WELLS IN ABEOKUTA

This study was aimed at measuring and comparing the activity concentration of soil samples collected from some selected hand – dug wells with their corresponding depths of collection in Abeokuta metropolis. Total of twenty (20) soil samples were collected from hand-dug wells in five sites (Obada, Adigbe, Kuto, Olorunsogo, and Obantoko) within Abeokuta with four (4) soil samples from each hand-dug well at the surface, (0.0m) through to 2.25m depth. Gamma ray spectroscopy with High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detector was used for the measurements. The average activity concentrations obtained for the three natural radionuclides 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in Bq/Kg are 34.31 ± 2.01, 128.73 ± 4.41 and 152.31 ± 2.59 respectively at depth 0.00 m (surface), 23.00 ± 1.61, 68.39 ± 3.24 and 191.08 ± 3.11 respectively at depth 0.75 m, 31.52 ± 2.21, 145.37± 4.95 and 375.56 ± 5.50 respectively at 1.50 m and lastly 28.57±1.70, 95.61 ± 3.71 and 181.10 ± 3.94 respectively at 2.25 m depth. The world average activity concentrations for 226Ra, 232Th and 40K are given to be 35 Bqkg-1, 30 Bqkg-1 and 400 Bqkg-1 respectively (UNSCEAR 2000). 232Th showed  higher average values than the world’s average while averages of 226Ra and 40K were lower but most of the activity concentration values obtained in some of the locations are higher than the world’s average values, especially 226Raand 232Th in the soil samples.

The Impact of Space Radiation Environment on Satellites Operation in Near-Earth Space

Energetic particles and electromagnetic radiation (EM) from solar events and galactic cosmic rays can bombard and interact with satellites’ exposed surfaces, and sometimes possess enough energy to penetrate their surface. Among other known effects, the scenario can cause accelerated orbit decay due to atmospheric drag, sporadic and unexplainable errors in functions of sensitive parts, degradation of critical properties of structural materials, jeopardy of flight worthiness, transient and terminal health hazard to both onboard passengers and astronauts, and sometimes a catastrophic failure that can abruptly end satellite mission. The understanding of the dynamics of the space radiation environment and associated effects is critically important for satellites design and operation in ionospheric plasma environment, in which satellites are designed to function. In this chapter we review some satellite anomalies associated with the space radiation environment and conclude with mitigation effort that can reduce such impact

Effective Doses and Excess Lifetime Cancer Risks from Absorbed Dose Rates Measured in Facilities of Two Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria

This study was aimed at examining the radiation absorbed dose rate, annual effective doses and excess lifetime cancer risks of halls of residence, Radiotherapy Unit and Radiology Department of UI, UCH and UNIMEDTH respectively. Results of measurements show that the mean absorbed dose rate for male and female hall are 0.33 ± 0.05476 and 0.17 ± 0.05074 µSv h-1 respectively. The mean overall absorbed dose rates calculated for facilities studied are 0.269 ± 0.0992 µSv h-1, 0.121 ± 0.036 µSv h-1 and 0.123 ± 0.00931 µSv h-1 in UI, UCH and UNIMEDTH respectively. The mean annual effective doses recorded in both male and female halls in University of Ibadan ranges between 0.71 mSv y-1 and 2.67 mSv y-1. The mean annual effective doses obtained from the facility of University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, Ondo (UNIMEDTH) ranges between 0.17 and 0.44 mSv y-1. In addition, the mean annual effective doses calculated from the measured absorbed dose rate in Radiotherapy Department of University College Hospital, Ibadan ranges between 0.20 and 1.22 mSv y-1. As regards ELCRs, the mean values  determined in various facilities examined are 6.07 x 10-3 (Male Halls, UI), 3.27 x 10-3 (Female Halls, UI), 0.57 x 10-3 (UNIMEDTH- NE), 0.99 x 10-3 (UNIMEDTH- EX), 0.65 x x 10-3 (Teletherapy, UCH) and 0.57 x 10-3 (Brachytherapy, UCH).The mean ELCRs of both halls examined are higher than the world average of 1.45 x 10-3 and the standard value of 0.29 x 10-3 by at least a factor of 1.97 units

Evaluation of Radiation Emissions, Physico-Chemical Parameters and Insect Fauna around the Environment of National Institute of Radiation Protection and Research

Abstract: Radiation emissions from the University of Ibadan National Institute of Radiation Protection and Research (NIRPR), physico-chemical properties measurement and insect's fauna collection around the surrounding of the Institute were conducted for a period of six months (November, 2011-April, 2012. Radiation survey meter model (RDS-30) type was used to take readings along the immediate surroundings of the NIRPR surroundings. Soil samples were collected at five points in the study site at a distance of 50 m from the Institute and the football pitch with a distance of 250 m away from the Institute as control site. Heavy metals (Fe, Cu, Zn, Cr, and Pb) were analysed using MiniPal 4 energy-dispersive X-Ray fluorescence (EDXRF) bench top spectrometer. Pit falls and sweep net were used in collection of crawling and flying insects respectively, some other arthropods were also collected. Results showed that radiation emission values of 0.012-0.016 µSv/hr was recorded, which was higher than the control site with reading of 0.009 µSv/hr. Heavy metal readings showed that iron (Fe) was higher at the sites than other metals. Correlation between chromium and lead was high (0.797) at (p<0.01). Diversity indices (Margalef, Shannon Wiener and Evenness respectively) for control site (3.56, 0.54, and 0.52) were higher than at the study site (2.62, 0.15 and 0.17). There was no correlation between arthropods abundance and radiation. This result therefore suggests that radiation could not be implicated in abundance and distribution of these arthropods

Application of

A low cost in-situ gamma-ray spectrometric method for rapid assessment of radiation exposure, identification of radionuclides and detection of changes in environmental radioactivity has been employed in the determination of the natural gamma radiation dose levels in six major cities of the southeastern region of Nigeria. The soil radioactivity concentrations of the primordial radionuclides; 40K, 238U and 232Th were determined and have been related to the γ-dose rates in the cities. The activity concentration of 40K across the region ranged between 0.021 and 0.200 kBq kg–1; 238U was between 0.001 and 0.066 kBq kg–1 while that of 232Th ranged between 0.015 and 0.103 kBq kg–1. The total γ-absorbed dose rates in air in the region ranged between 0.016 and 0.090 μGy h–1 with a mean of 0.039 ± 0.018 μGy h–1. The mean of the annual outdoor effective dose due to the terrestrial gamma radiation for the region was calculated as 50 μSv y–1 representing 66% of the world average value