Radioactive Element Distribution in Nigerian Coal Deposits: Implications for Environmental and Health Risks

Abstract

Coal mining and utilization pose significant environmental and health risks due to the presence of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMs). Nigeria, with its vast coal reserves is no exception. This study investigates the distribution of radioactive elements in Nigerian coal deposits using NaI(Tl) based gamma-ray spectroscopy technique. The specific activity concentrations of the radionuclides ranged from 52.56  3.59 Bq/kg to 117.45  5.71 Bq/kg for ⁴⁰K, 16.22   3.50 Bq/kg to 19.54  3.87 Bq/kg for ²²⁶Ra and 16.88  1.54 Bq/kg to 51.75  3.99 Bq/kg for ²³²Th. The results indicated that thorium concentrations were much higher than the United Nation Scientific Committee on the Effect of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR, 2000) permissible limit of 30 Bq/kq. This potent radiological health risk to vital body organs and tissues, hence the need to limit exposure time or use proper shielding equipment by miners and people living around coal fired power plants. Similarly, the results of the annual gonadal dose equivalent were slightly less than the ICRP permissible limit of 300 . Hence, the need to reduce exposure time (during work hour) especially by the miners and people around coal fired power plants.