Skip to content
Research Article Open access CC BY 4.0

Characterization of Radiation Exposure Dose Rate from Waste Dumpsites within Owerri, Nigeria: An Atmospheric Concern

Ugochukwu K. Okoro, Ijeoma Dike, Chidiezie Chineke, Christiana Godwin, Chiamaka Chukwunyere

Current Journal of Applied Science and Technology · pp. 1–9 · Published 19 Aug 2015

10.9734/BJAST/2015/16360

Abstract

This work evaluated the exposure dose rates emanating from five (5) selected waste dumpsites within the Owerri metropolis, Nigeria. The objectives are to measure the dose rates emanating from the selected dumpsites, evaluate the rates at which the radiation exposures diminished with distance at each dumpsite, show the relationship between the emissions emanating from each dumpsite within the metropolis and identify “Safety Zone”, which defined safe regions that can mitigate increased exposure dose rates. The data were acquired by a portable radiation survey meter (Radalert-100) and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results show that all the waste dumpsites emit radiation that exceeds the ICRP recommended maximum permissible limit of 11.4 μR hr-1 for members of the public. However the radiation exposure dose rate obeying the inverse square law were observed to diminish with varying distance from the linear regression equation of the trends having rate values of -0.398 µR hr-1 m-1, -0.266 µ R hr-1 m-1, -0.348 µR hr-1m-1, -0.369 µR hr-1 m-1, -0.237 µR hr-1 m-1 and -0.323 µR hr-1 m-1 for dumpsites 1 to 5 and the areal average respectively. The exposure dose rate at each of the dumpsites significantly correlated to one another and to the areal average at 95% confidence level, then the attributes of one waste dumpsite stands for the other. The “Safety Zone” from all waste dumpsites was computed from the linear regression equation of the trends. This study is imperative as it point at a way in mitigating radiation exposure dose rates from waste dumpsites in developing cities around the world with similar attributes to Owerri metropolis, Nigeria.

Radiation exposure dose rate waste dumpsite Owerri metropolis safety zone

References (19)

  1. 1 Mechanical recycling of waste electric and electronic equipment: a review [DOI]
  2. 2 Electronic waste (e-waste): Material flows and management practices in Nigeria [DOI]
  3. 3 Assessment of gamma dose rates around Istanbul (Turkey) [DOI]
  4. 4 Natural Radioactivity in Spanish Soils [DOI]
  5. 5 Measurements of activity concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides in soil samples from Punjab province of Pakistan and assessment of radiological hazards [DOI]
  6. 6 Assessment of Human Exposures to Natural Sources of Radiation in Soil of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
  7. 7 Radiological Study on Soils, Foodstuff and Fertilizers in the Alexandria Region, Egypt [DOI]
  8. 8 Measurement of natural radioactivity and dose rate assessment of terrestrial gamma radiation in the soil of southern Punjab, Pakistan [DOI]
  9. 9 TCLP Heavy Metal Leaching of Personal Computer Components [DOI]
  10. 10 Evaluation of Natural Radionuclide Content in River Sediments and Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk Due to Gamma Radioactivity
  11. 11 Antibiogram Status of Bacterial Isolates from Air Around Dumpsite of Ekiti State Destitute Centre at Ilokun, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria [DOI]
  12. 12 Evaluation of horizontal surface solar radiation levels in southern Nigeria [DOI]
  13. 13 Comparative Analysis of Gridded Datasets and Gauge Measurements of Rainfall in the Niger Delta Region [DOI]
  14. 14 Optimal benefits of utilizing renewable energy technologies in Nigeria and the Cibs quadrangle: a review [DOI]
  15. 15 Activity Concentrations of Natural Radionuclides in Soils of Rainforest Sites in Western Ghats [DOI]
  16. 16 Assessment of Radiation Emission from Waste Dumpsites in Lagos State of Nigeria
  17. 17 Measurement of Gamma-emitting Radionuclides in Rocks and Soils of Saunder Quarry Site, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria [DOI]
  18. 18 Environmental audit of a refuse dump site in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria [DOI]
  19. 19 Statistical Methods in the Atmospheric Sciences [DOI]

Cited by 2

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Some Agricultural Practices Using 7 Be Fallout at Sehoul Catchment, Morocco Physico-Chemical and Organolyptical Characteristics Of Cake Fortified By Irradiated Broccoli ( Brassica Oleracea L.Var Italica ) Powder

Khalaf, El Saadani, M. Mervat · 2020

Radiation levels of dumpsites within Imo State University, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria

V. A. Wirnkor, Enyoh Christian Ebere, Okonkwo Felix Chukwunonso · 2017

Related research

Article metrics

Real usage data collected on this platform.

21

Page views

0

PDF downloads

4

Outbound clicks

2

Citations

Views over time

Views by country

Approximate, from request IP at view time — not citizenship or institution. Countries with fewer than 5 views are grouped as "Other".

Traffic sources

Referring site, by host.

Views and downloads exclude known bots/crawlers. Citations combines this platform's own DOI-resolved index with each external source's own reported total — see Cited by above for individually listed citing works. Last refreshed 0 seconds ago.