CERTIFICATION

I hereby certify that this work was carried out by OKON ISRAEL OBOT with Matriculation
Number: 100813039 of the Department of Geosciences, Faculty of Science, University of Lagos,
Nigeria

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..

Dr. L. Adeoti

Date

Project Supervisor

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Prof. S. B. Olobaniyi

Date

Head of Department

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
My profound gratitude goes to my heavenly Father, the Almighty God, who has been my
protector, provider and sustainer throughout my life and the course of this study.
I acknowledge my parents, Mr. P.O Obot and Mrs. J. A Obot, for their love, prayers and
encouragement. I will always remain grateful to them.
I am deeply grateful to my supervisor, Dr. Lukumon Adeoti for the tireless effort and the
encouragement I got for this work to come to reality. May God bless him.
I am as well grateful to the Head of Department of Geosciences, Prof. S.B Olobaniji; and all the
teaching and non- teaching staff in the department of Geosciences University of Lagos.
Special appreciation goes to my brother and Sister Mr. Joseph Obot and Mrs. Grace John for
their encouragement and financial support.
To my great sibling, Samuel Obot, I am grateful for being there for me, may God bless you.
I also acknowledge the assistance I got from every well-meaning people at one point or the other
during this research work, may you all fulfill Gods mandate for your lives in Jesus name.
Lastly, my sincere gratitude goes to Mrs. Onyedikachi Israel, who has made this work a success.
.

TABLE OF CONTENT

Pages
Title Page

Certification

ii

Dedication

iii

Acknowledgement

iv

Table of Contents

vi

List of Figures

vii

List of Tables

viii

List of Plates

ix

List of Appendices

Abstract

xi

CHAPTER ONE
1.0

Introduction

1.1

Background to the Study

1.2

Statement of Problem

1.3

Aim and Objectives of Study

CHAPTER TWO
2.0

Literature Review

2.1

Basic Principle of Radiometric Survey

2.2.1 Natural Radiometric Decay and It Origin

10

2.2.2 Natural and Fallout Radionuclides

10

2.2.3 Main Radioactive Decay

11

2.2.4 Law of Radioactive Decay

14

2.2.5 Radioactive Decay Series

15

2.3 Soil to Plant Uptake of Radionuclide and Public Exposure

17

2.3.1 Exposure to Radiation

17

2.3.2 Exposure from Cosmic Radiation

18

2.3.3 Exposure from Terrestrial Radiation

18

2.3.4 Exposure through Inhalation

18

2.3.5 Exposure through Ingestion

18

2.4 Ground Radiometric Method

19

2.4.1 Mode of Deployment of Ground Radiometric Survey

20
2.4.2 Gamma Ray Spectrometer

20

2.4.3 RS-230 BGO Super Spec Ground Radiation Detector

21

2.4.4 Factors Affecting Gamma Ray Spectrometer

22

2.4.5 Application of Radiometric Method

22

2.4.6 Advantages and Limitations of In-situ Measurement of Gamma Radio

23

Nuclide Activity
2.4.6.1 Advantages and Limitations of In-situ Measurement Spectrometer

23

2.4.6.2 Limitations of In-Situ Measurement Spectrometer

23

2.5 General Geology of South Western Nigeria

2.5.1 Dahomey Basin
21

24

2.5.2 Stratigraphy of Dahomey Basin

26

2.5.3 Ise Formation

26
2.5.4 Afowo Formation

26

2.5.6 Ewekoro Formation

27

2.5.7 Akinbo Formation

27

2.5.8 Oshosun Formation

27

2.5.9 Ilaro Formation

27

2.6 Geology of Lagos State

28

2.6.1 Geology of the Study Area

CHAPTER THREE
3.0

Methodology

30

3.1

Data Acquisition

30

3.2

Setting of Dead Time on the Detector

31

3.3

Data Processing and interpretation

31

3.4

3.3.1Statistical Analysis of the Radiometric Data

32

3.3.2 Determination of Radiological Hazard Indices Indices

33

3.3.3 Radium Equivalent Activity (Raeq)

33

3.3.4 Determination of External and Internal Hazard Index (Hex)

34

3.3.5 Calculation of Annual Effective Dose Rate (AEDR)

34

3.3.6 Absorbed Dose Rate

35

Conversion of Radionuclide from Percentage and (ppm) to Specific Activity

35

CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 Result and Discussion

37

4.1 Result

37

4.2 Discussion

37

4.2.1 Activity Concentrations of Radionuclides in vegetable Farm

37

4.2.2 Absorbed and Equivalent Dose Rates of the Radionuclides

39

4.2.3 Annual Effective Equivalent (Outdoor and Indoor) and Raeq.

41

4.2.4 Internal and External Indices and ACI

42

CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 Conclusion and recommendation

44

5.1 Conclusion

44

5.2 Recommendation

45

REFERENCES

46

APPENDIX: A Ground Radiometric Data

51

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 2.1: Principle Guiding the Decay of Radioactive element

10

Figure 2.2: Uranium Decay series

11

Figure 2.3: Geological map of Nigeria

24

Figure 2.4: Stratigraphic column of the Eastern Dahomey basin

26

Figure 2.5: Site Map of the Study Area

29

Figure 2.6: Vegetable Farm in the Study Area

29

Figure 4.1: Specific Activity Concentration of Radionuclide in the Study Area

38

Figure 4.2: Absorbed Dose Rate in the Study Area

40

Figure 4.3: Mean Equivalent Dose Rate in Study Area

40

Figure 4.4: Annual Dose Equivalent and Radium Activity Equivalent

42

Figure 4.5: Hex, Hin and ACI in the Study Area

43

LIST OF TABLES

Table 2.1: Gamma Ray Energies for Calibration of Spectrometers

11

Table 3.1: Constant for Converting Radionuclide to Specific Activity

35

Table 3.2: Exposure Rate and Dose Rate of Radioelement Concentration

36

Table 3.3: Bench Mark of Radiological Indices to Assess Radiation Hazard

36

Table 3.4: Recommended Safety Limit for Radiological Hazard Indices

36

Table 4.1 Specific Activity Concentration of Radionuclide in the Study Area

38

Table 4.2 Absorbed Doses and Equivalent Dose Rate

39

Table 4.3 Annual Effective Dose Equivalents (Outdoor and Indoor) and Raeq.

41

Table 4.4: Hazard Index (Hex, Hin and Activity Conc. Indices in the Study Area

43

Table A1: Global Positioning System (GPS) Coordinate

52

Table A2: Activity Concentration of Radionuclides in Traverse 1 and 2

53

Table A3: Activity Concentration of Radionuclides in Traverse 3 and 4

54

Table A4: Activity Concentration of Radionuclides in Traverse 5 and 6

55

Table A5: Activity Concentration of Radionuclides in Traverse 7 and 8

56

Table A6: Activity Concentration of Radionuclides in Traverse 9 and 10

57

Table A7: Conversion of Specific Activity from (% and ppm) to (Bq/kg)

57

Table A8: Specific Activity, Absorbed Dose Rate, Absorbed Equivalent Dose Rate
Indoor and Outdoor and Radium Equivalent Activity

58

LIST OF PLATES
Plate 1: RS-230 Super Spec Handheld Gamma-ray spectrometry

31

Plate 2: Field operation using RS-230 BGO Gamma-ray spectrometry

31

recording of Array result.

Plate 3: Vegetable Farm at Ojo Barrack.

58

ABSTRACTS
Measurement of radioactivity level using gamma ray spectrometry technique in a vegetable farm
at Ojo Barrack was carried to determine the range and mean specific activity concentration,
absorbed dose, radium equivalent, annual effective dose rate and lateral frequency distribution of
radionuclides for health risk assessment.
In this study, measurements of naturally occurring radionuclides (40K,

238

U and

232

Th) in air at

1m above the ground surface for uniform distribution was carried out in-situ in a vegetable farm
using portable RS-230 Super- SPEC hand held gamma ray spectrometer a 6.3 in 3 (103 cm3)
Bismuth Germanate Oxide detector.
The specific activity concentration (Bq.kg-1) in the study area ranges from 73.56 Bq/kg to
126.76Bq/kg with mean value of 108.51 Bq/kg for 40K, 5.18 Bq/kg to 15.52 Bq/kg with mean
value 11.10 Bq/kg for

238

U and 9.14 Bq/kg to 9.87 Bq/kg with mean value of 9.496 Bq/kg for

232

Th. For the radiation hazard indices, the radium equivalent activity (Raeq) in the farm ranges

from10.43Bq/kg to 12.24Bq/kg and the mean value is 11.37Bq/Kg, which is less than the safe
limit 370Bq/Kg recommended by (UNSCEAR 2000).The calculated absorbed dose rate in the
vegetable farm ranges from 10.43 (nGyh-1) to 12.24(nGyh-1) with a mean value of 11.36 (nGyh-1).
The internal and external hazard index correspond to internal exposure to radon gas in the
environment ranges from (0.08- 0.1) Bq/Kg in internal and (0.09 0.15) external with a mean
value of 0.09Bq/kg and 0.12Bq/kg for internal and external respectively. From this value it is
shown that the radiation hazard is negligible when it is less than unity. The annual equivalent
dose rate in the study area ranges from 0.11mSv to 0.09mSv with a mean value of 0.1mSv which
is far less than the standard (1mSv/yr) indicated by radiological protection.
The annual effective dose rate indoor and outdoor ranges from (51.14 Svy -1 to 60.04Svy-1) for
indoor with a mean value of 55.75Svy-1 while the effective dose rate outdoor ranges from
(12.79 Svy-1 to 15.01Svy-1) with a mean value of 13.94Svy-1. This value is lower than the
world average (0.07Svy-1), and could be due to constant disturbance of the surface soil by the
farmers during weeding and irrigation activities.

10

The calculated hazard indices for assessing the potential radiological health risk in the Vegetable
farm and the dose associated with it are well below the world permissible limit. The farm soil
and sediments including the vegetable plant from the study area provide no excessive exposures
or radiological threat to inhabitants and consumers of these vegetables grown on the farmland.
However, consumers of these vegetable plants should be cautioned against excessive exposure to
avoid future accumulative dose of these radiation.

11