Gross Alpha and Beta activity Concentrations and Committed Effective Dose due to Intake of Groundwater in Ado-Ekiti Metropolis; the Capital City of Ekiti State, Southwestern, Nigeria

Abstract

The gross alpha and beta activity concentrations in dug well water in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, southwestern Nigeria were determined in order to estimate the committed effective dose from intake of the alpha and beta emmiters. The Gas-flow proportional counter (Eurisys Measure IN20 low-background multiple (eight) channel counter was employed in the analysis of the gross alpha and beta.  The mean gross alpha and beta activity in the dug well water samples across the areas which covers the  land area in the town ranged from 0.216 Bq/L to 1.299 Bq/L with a mean value of 0.589 ± 0.36 Bq/L and 0.064 Bq/L to 0.582 Bq/L with a mean value of 0.236 ± 0.19 Bq/L respectively.  The estimated mean committed effective dose value of 0.12 ± 0.08 mSv/y and 0.07 ± 0.05mSv/y for an adult and a child  respectively are within 0.1 mSv/y reference dose level (ICRP, 1991).

Keywords:   Committed effective dose, gross alpha, dug-well, water, Activity concentration.