Evaluation of Excess Life Cancer Risk in Rumuokwurushi Town in Obio/Akpor LGA, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

Radiation is a naturally occurring energy present as particles or waves, widely used in fields like medicine and industry, but excessive exposure to ionizing radiation can cause serious health effects despite its beneficial applications. An In-situ measurement of background ionizing radiation was carried out using a well calibrated GMC – 30E-Plus Nuclear radiation meter, Geiger Muller Counter and Geographical positioning system (GPS) to record the geographical coordinates. The measured exposure rate in this study ranged from 0.013 to 0.019 mR/h with a mean value of 0.011 ± 0.01 mR/h, which is quite lower than the acceptable limit of 0.013 mR/h. The absorbed dose rate obtained in this study ranged from 66.70 to 116.00 nGy/h, with a mean value of 94.18 ± 11.62 nGy/h which is quite higher than the acceptable limit of 89 nGy/h. The annual effective dose equivalent (AEDE) of this study ranged from 0.10 to 0.18 mSv/y, with a mean value of 0.15 ± 0.02 mSv/y, which is significantly lower than 1 mSv/y as recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). The excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) obtained ranged from 0.36 × 10⁻³ to 0.62 × 10⁻³, with a mean value of 0.51 ± 0.06 × 10⁻³, which is slightly higher than the world recommended value of 0.29 × 10⁻³. However, the excess lifetime cancer risk showed is higher values than the recommended world average, suggesting the need for periodic monitoring to ensure long-term radiological safety. In overall, the radiological parameters of the Annual Effective dose is within the acceptable safety limits, but continuous monitoring is recommended to minimize potential long-term health risks.