Assessment of radon concentration in groundwater within Ogbomoso, SW Nigeria

Abstract

The study is aimed at investigating the level of radon and to determine the health effect connected to radon in drinking water. A total of thirty (30) water samples were randomly investigated in Ogbomoso using an active electronic device RAD 7, produced by Durridge Company USA. The radon concentrations within the study area vary from 0.60 to 2.64 Bq L-1, with the mean value of 1.86 Bq L-1. The committed annual effective doses due to ingestion vary from 6.25 × 10-3 to 1.93 × 10-2 mSv y-1, with mean values of 0.02 mSv y-1. The radon concentrations in water samples of Ogbomoso are lower than the threshold as set by both United States Environmental and Protection Agency, and European Commission of 11 and 100 Bq L-1 respectively.