Evaluation of Activity Concentrations of 238U, 232Th, and 40K in Soil Samples from North-western Yobe

Abstract

The activity concentrations radionuclides (²³⁸U, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K) from the thirty (30) different soil samples in North-western Yobe, in Yobe state, Nigeria were evaluated. The activity concentrations in these samples were measured through gamma spectroscopy with a Thallium activated Sodium Iodide NaI (TI) detector. The activity concentrations in the thirty samples measured, ranged between 50.47 ± 0.6 to 97.12 ± 2.8 Bq kg^-1 for ²³⁸U, 62.32 ± 1.5 to 98.11 ± 2.4 Bq kg^-1 for ²³²Th, and 125.30 ± 0.8 to 205.70± 2.7 Bq kg^-1for ⁴⁰K and their respective mean values of 79.02 2.7 Bq kg^-1, 83.22 2.7 Bq kg^-1, and 168.02 2.7 Bq kg^-1. While, the annual effective dose rate was estimated, is in the range of 92.30 to 137.44 μSv y^-1 with an average value of 115.13 μSv y^-1.