Outdoor Radiation and Health Risk Assessment Near Fuel Filling Stations

Abstract

Humans and man-made activities are well known processes that contribute to background radiation. In this study, the assessment of outdoor background radiation near fuel filling stations Kaduna state, Nigeria has been conducted. An in-situ measurement for outdoor background exposure rate for twenty (20) different locations was taken using a portable nuclear radiation detector model XR1- Tool0015, with G-M technology, at an elevation of 1.0 m above ground level with a geographical positioning system (GPS) for geographical location. Using established radiological relations, the radiological health hazards, values were obtained and compared with recommended permissible limits in order to determine the radiological hazard status of the environment. The mean values of the outdoor background exposure levels (0.13 µSv/h), Annual Effective Dose Equivalent (0.16×10^-3 mSv/y), and excess lifetime cancer risk (0.57×10^-3). The mean value of the background exposure and annual effective dose equivalent are below the recommended safe limit of 1.0 mSv/y. The mean value obtained is 0.57×10^-3. This mean value is higher than the world average value of 0.29×10^-3. This high value for excess lifetime cancer risk indicates that there exist the possibilities of cancer development by residents who wish to spend all their life time in the area. Generally, the study shows that the radiological indices evaluated was found to be within the acceptable safe limit of 1 mSv/y for the public and the excess lifetime cancer risk was found to be higher than the safe limit.it is therefore advisable that residence take precautionary measures as they live within this study area.