Determination of Activity Levels 226ra, 232th and 40k in some Soil Samples of Federal Polytechnic Kaltungo Main Campus Using Gamma Ray Spectrometry

Abstract

This paper presents an investigation on radioactivity level of radioactive elements within Federal Polytechnic Kaltungo Main Campus. A total of forty (40) soil samples were analyzed using Gamma-Ray Spectrometry of 76×76mmNaI (TI) detector crystal with radioactivity activity concentration of potassium (40K), Radium (226Ra) and Thorium (232Th) were determined within the study area. Results obtained showed the highest activity concentration of 40K, 226Ra, and 232Th from locations AB3 (898.7365 Bq/kg), AB3 (107.7457 Bq/kg) and AB2 (243.1510 Bq/kg) respectively. The mean activity of 206.7681 Bq/kg obtained for 40K was seen to be lower than the world average of 420 Bq/kg while the mean activity concentrations of 232Th (95.393 Bq/kg) was above the world average of 50 Bq/kg. These upshots could be attributed to the presence of mountains which surround the polytechnic and the quarry activity taking place close to the polytechnic. Equally, Thorium. 226 Ra also had a lowest mean activity concentration of 43.8600 Bq/kg, which is also lower than the world average of 370 Bq/kg. In-situ dose rate measurement of the study area was also carried out using a Radiation Alert Inspector meter and the background radiation reading obtained was seen to fall within a range of 0.11µsv/hr - 0.21µsv/hr, which did not exceed the 1mSv/yr as recommended by National Council on Radiation Protection (NCRP).