Assessment Of Radon-222 In Some Selected Water Sources

ASSESSMENT OF RADON-222 IN SOME SELECTED WATER SOURCES

Abstract

One of the causes of nuclear contamination in water, radon is also the main natural radioactive source from which the public receives the most radiation. Cancer can develop in those who are exposed to high levels of radon through water consumption or gas inhalation. In the current study, a liquid scintillation counter was used to analyze the activity concentrations of Radon-222 (222 Rn) from fifteen (15) water samples that were collected at various sites around Dutsin-Ma town, Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area, Katsina State. In open wells, earth dams, and boreholes, the concentrations of radon were found to vary from 11.67 to 152.81, 0.61 to 172.25, and 21.98 to 47.17, respectively, with mean values of 64.66, 41.15, and 34.57. When the results were compared to the maximum contamination level (MCL) for the entire world, which was set at 10, by the World Health Organization, it was discovered that 86.67% of the samples exceeded this number, with 20% of the samples above the global reference level of 100. In addition, the measured radon concentrations were used to estimate the Annual Effective Doses due to ingestion of Radon in water for the three (3) categories of people. Their mean values were found to be (0.472, 0.944, 3.304) in borehole water, (0.308, 0.616, 2.156) in well water, and (0.252, 0.504, 1.764) in surface water (Earth-Dam) for adults, children, and infants, respectively. All of the annual effective dose mean values exceeded the World Health Organization’s recommended guideline of 0.1/set. As a result, it is advised that residents of Dutsin-Ma town always boil their water before consuming, regardless of its source, in order to keep the concentration of radon as low as is practically possible. In addition, more research on the radon activity concentration in water sources from the Dutsin-Ma area and other regions of Katsina State needs to be done in order to evaluate whether the water is fit for consumption or not.

First Chapter Introduction

1.1 The study’s history

The majority of living things on Earth are made of water, which is also the main component of its oceans, lakes, and streams. On average, it covers 71% of the Earth’s surface. All known kinds of life, notably man, depend on it. Water is used by humans for a variety of purposes, including transportation, the production of electricity, agriculture, and other domestic tasks, making its availability and quality with regard to contamination from radioactive, microbiological, chemical, and other sources delicate and important issues (Garba et al., 2008). Unfortunately, most developing nations, including Nigeria, have significant problems with access to adequate drinking water, therefore the majority of people rely primarily on untreated surface and ground water sources for consumption.

For instance, the residents of Katsina State’s Dutsin-Ma local government area only use untreated groundwater (from wells and boreholes) and surface water sources. This is due to the limited number of pipe-born water sources that are available and the fact that they are frequently inoperable. The government has not yet finished building the Zobe dam in Dutsin-Ma, which is designed to solve this issue (Isah, 2009). In order to evaluate if the ground and surface water sources in Dutsin-Ma town are fit for consumption, it is crucial to analyze their radiological contents.

The Uranium decay series includes radon, a naturally occurring radioactive inert gas with a half-life of 3.82 days (Somlai, 2007). The majority of the radiation from all natural sources comes from it. Studies have indicated that nearly half of the total effective dose equivalent from natural sources is contributed by radon-222 (222Rn) and its offspring. Water can dissolve radon-222. The decay of Radium-226 coupled with the rock and soil is what causes the concentration of radon in the water. According to Xinwei (2006), radon-222 gas can seep through rocks and soil and dissolve in water. Drinking water from underground sources typically contains more radon than surface water does.

Long-term exposure to high levels of radon and its offspring can have serious health implications on a community, including lung cancer and altered respiratory function (BEIR, 1999). Additionally, stomach and gastrointestinal tract cancer can develop when drinking water has extremely high levels of radon (Kendel and Smith, 2002).

The majority of Nigerian regions lack reliable information regarding Radon-222 activity levels. According to a review of the literature and the author’s information, Dutsin-Ma town, Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area, Katsina State, is one of these regions, despite the fact that the majority of its residents heavily rely on untreated surface and groundwater sources for drinking, agricultural, and other domestic activities. It is conceivable that Dutsin-Ma town has higher-than-average radon concentrations in both surface and groundwater sources because its geology showed that it is abundant in granite. With regard to the activity concentration of Radon-222 in Dutsin-Ma town, Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area, Katsina State, Nigeria, there is a shortage of baseline data/information that needs to be addressed.

Our research shows that the majority of people and animals in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area, Katsina State, still rely on untreated surface and ground water sources for consumption, making access to drinkable sources of water one of their biggest concerns. This is very dangerous because studies have shown that high activity concentrations of Radon-222 are associated with regions rich in granite (David et al., 1989; Gilbert, 1988), and the geology of Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area, Katsina State (figure 7) revealed that it is highly enriched in granites and gneisses. As a result, it is important to look at the level of Radon-222 in drinking water, which, in high concentrations, might increase the risk of stomach and gastrointestinal tract cancer among other things (Zhuo et al., 2001). This is especially true because resource planning might be greatly aided by our understanding of its level of availability.