Assessment of Environmental Health Risks from Radon in Well Water Samples in Dutse LGA, Jigawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

Radon, a colorless and odorless gas, has been identified as one of the contaminants in underground water and is recognized as the leading cause of lung cancer worldwide. In this research, an assessment of radon concentration in some selected regions around Dutse local government have been investigated using liquid scintillation counter (Tri-CarbLSA1000). The result obtained for ²²²Rn concentration (Bq/L) ranged from 16.59 Bq/L to 26.12 Bq/L with mean value of 21.36 Bq/L. The mean value exceeds the permissible limit of 11.1 Bq/L and 10 Bq/L recommended by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and World Health Organization (WHO). The annual effective dose due to inhalation were also found ranged from (0.04 to 0.07) mSv/y with mean value of 0.05 mSv/y and due to ingestion were also ranged from (0.12 to 0.19), (0.18 to 0.29) and (0.21 to 0.33) mSv/y respectively with their mean values of (0.12,0.23 and 0.27) mSv/y. All the mean values for both inhalation and ingestion are above the permissible limit limit of 0.1 mSv/y recommended by WHO. All the mean values for excess life cancer risk from the corresponded annual effective dose due to inhalation and ingestion for different age categories (adult, child and infant) were exceeds the permissible limit of 0.00029 recommended by USEPA. Therefore, the underground water around the selected regions is not safe, there is need for constant testing and monitoring.