An Assessment of Background Radiation Doses in Buildings Using a Geiger-Muller Counter across Jos-Bukuru Metropolis, North-Central Nigeria
Keywords:
Radiation, Radionuclides, Dose Rate (DR), Annual Effective Dose Equivalent (AEDE), Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk (ELCR)Abstract
An assessment of background radiation dose in buildings was carried out from different ongoing/uncompleted buildings across Jos-Bukuru metropolis and environs using a Geiger-Muller Counter (gernie39ync105po model), which has a high sensitivity and wide measurement range with GM-hose as the central sensor, which supports automatic data recording. Two hundred and twelve (212) measurements of gamma radiation readings emanating from the naturally radioactive constituents in uncompleted houses within the studied area were recorded. The data captured the average dose rate (uSv/h), which varied from one building to another. The values were then calculated and converted to determine the absorbed dose rate ranging between 1.56mSv/y (180 nGyh-1) and 4.12mSv/y (470nGy/h) with a mean value of 2.45mSv/y (279.7664nGy/h), annual effective dose equivalent varied from 0.8278mSv/y to 2.1615 mSv/y, while the excess lifetime cancer risk factor ranged between 2.8974x10-3Sv and 7.5654x10-3Sv. These values in some buildings are higher than the recommended 1mSv/y and therefore pose some health risks for the occupants over a long period of time.
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