Natural Radionuclides in Natural Spring Water Samples in Ikere – Ekiti Local Government Area, Ekiti State, Nigeria

Abstract

The presence of  the radionuclides in drinking water poses a number of health hazards.  This study estimated the committed effective doses due the natural radiounuclides via consumption of spring water in the study area. 80 spring water samples were measured using gamma spectrometry.  The annual committed effective doses in Ikere local government , Ekiti State, Nigeria varied from 0.16 mSv/y to 0.22 mSv/y with a mean value of 0.20 ± 0.03 mSv/y.  The calculated annual committed effective dose is  lower than WHO recommended limit of 1.0 mSv/y for public exposure. Due to the consumption of natural spring water there is no radiological health hazards to the public within the study area.

Keywords:Radionuclides, Activity concentration, Committed effective dose, Spring water, Drinking water