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Determination of Radon-222 Levels, Concentration Level, and Its Health Hazards in Drinking Water from Gashua and Damaturu, Yobe State, Nigeria |
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PP: 15-21 |
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doi:10.18576/jrna/110103
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Author(s) |
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Iliya I. Fatima,
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Abstract |
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| Water quality is a vital component of public health and environmental safety, as clean water is essential for drinking, food production, and sanitation. In this study, the health risk assessment of heavy metals and Radon-222 levels in portable drinking water from Gashua and Damaturu, Yobe State, Nigeria, was investigated. Forty (40) samples (twenty (20) each from Damaturu and Gashua, respectively) were collected by simple random sampling and were analyzed for radon-222 concentration level Liquid Scintillation Spectrometer. Each of the samples was coded with a number for sample identification, and the GPS location of each sample was taken. The calculated Radon-222 concentration, annual effective dose by ingestion, dose contribution to the stomach due to ingestion, annual effective dose by inhalation estimation, dose contribution to the lung due to inhalation, and excess lifetime cancer risk for Damaturu (Gashua) are 780.61655 Bq/L (753.2699 Bq/L), 0.00569855 mSv/y (0.005499 mSv/y), 0.0006816 mSv/y (0.000658 mSv/y), 34.34713 mSv/y (33.14388 mSv/y), 4.1182207 mSv/y (3.973951 mSv/y), and 1.99448E-05 (1.92E-05), respectively. The result of radon-222 concentration indicates an elevated radon concentration in water, which poses potential radiological health risks through both ingestion and inhalation exposure. However, the computed excess lifetime cancer risk (1.92E-05) falls within the acceptable risk range of 10−6 to 10−3 recommended by USEPA. Adequate portable drinking water monitoring is recommended, and safety measures should be put in place. |
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