Twelve samples of water from hand-dug wells in some parts of Kaduna South and its Environs were selected using a stratified random sampling. Twenty (20mils) of concentrated nitric acid were added to each two liters of the sampled water for preservation. The samples were then evaporated and counted for Gross Alpha activity using MPC-2000-DP model gas free proportional counter at Centre for Energy Research and Training (CERT), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Results show that, the range of alpha activity in water in the area was 0.001 to 0.413 Bq/L, with geometric mean of 0.124±0.040 Bq/L. The overall results show that, the alpha activity have their values below WHO recommended practical screening level of 0.5 Bq/L radioactivity for drinking water.
The background radiation of the areas was collected at random for each point using a rados survey meter. The detectors (two rados survey meter were used) were placed 1 meter above the ground with the operator positioned a few meters away. Three (3) readings were taking from each detector in other to reduce error or reach accuracy in obtaining the background readings from each randomly selected point where soil samples were later collected.
In the current study, the concentration levels of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMs) of 40K, 232Th, and 238U in the surface soil samples of selected areas in kigo road new extension Kaduna north, Kaduna in Nigeria were studied. The collected soil samples were analyzed by means of gamma-ray spectrometry. The mean activity concentrations of the natural occurring radionuclides of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in the soil samples were estimated to be 62, 78.35, 227.17 Bq/kg respectively for kigo road new extension respectively. Radium equivalent activity, absorbed dose rate, annual effective dose equivalent were also calculated for assessment of radiological risk. External hazard value (Hex) is between 0.3163 and 0.9557 and Internal hazard value is between 0.4462 and 1.1618. The worldwide average activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in soil samples from various studies around the world have values of 37, 30 and 400 Bq/kg respectively [UNSCEAR, 2000]. The values compared well with published data from UNSCEAR shows Ra-226, Th-232 from the location are well above the standards while K-40 below the risk value.
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