DETERMINATION OF RADON-222 CONCENTRATION FROM THE MINING SITES OF MARU, ANKA AND BUKKUYUM AREAS IN ZAMFARA STATE, NIGERIA
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Abstract
Natural radionuclides such as Uranium-238 (238U), Thorium-232 (232Th), Radium-226 (226Ra) and Potassium-40 (40K) and heavy metals are normally exposed to the surface during mining activities. When inhaled (as dust) or ingested (by drinking contaminated water) in significant concentrations, they can lead to health challenges. In this research work, wastewater was collected from gold-mining sites of Anka, Maru, and Bukkuyun Local Government Areas of Zamfara State, Nigeria. Radon concentration was measured using Liquid Scintillation Counter. Results from the analysis show that, the average mean Radon concentration was 174.9Bq/L, 115.3Bq/L and 137.4Bq/L for Anka, Bukkuyum and Maru respectively. These revealed that, Anka has the highest 222Rn concentration while Bukkuyum has the lowest concentration. Results also show that about 90% of samples exceed the permissible limit of 100 Bq/L by the World Health Organization (WHO) and European Union (EU). This implies that, most public premises and workplaces in Zamfara State have high Radon concentrations in the air.
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