title: Measurement of ²³⁸U,²³²Th and ⁴⁰K in boreholes at Gosa and Lugbe, Abuja, north central Nigeria.
abstract: The purpose of this project is to evaluate the suitability of different sites as locations for obtaining underground water for consumption. The analysis of ²³⁸U, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K from rock samples from each layer of borehole at a depth of ∼50 m at Site A borehole, S3L1-S3L6 in Gosa and 40 m at Site B borehole, S4L1-S4L5 in Lugbe, Abuja, north central Nigeria is presented. The gamma-ray spectrometry was carried out using a high-purity germanium detector coupled to a computer-based high-resolution multichannel analyzer. The activity concentrations at Site A borehole for ²³⁸U have a mean value of 26 ± 3, ranging from 23 ± 2 to 30 ± 3 Bq kg⁻¹, ²³²Th a mean value of 63 ± 5, ranging from 48 ± 4 to 76 ± 6 Bq kg⁻¹ and ⁴⁰K a mean value of 573 ± 72, ranging from 437 ± 56 to 821 ± 60 Bq kg⁻¹. The activity concentrations at Site B borehole for ²³⁸U have a mean value of 20 ± 2, ranging from 16 ± 2 to 23 ± 2 Bq kg⁻¹, ²³²Th a mean value of 46 ± 4, ranging from 43 ± 4 to 49 ± 4 Bq kg⁻¹, ⁴⁰K a mean value of 915 ± 116 and ranging from 817 ± 103 Bq kg⁻¹ to 1011 ± 128 Bq kg⁻¹. It is noted that the higher activity concentrations of ²³²Th and ²³⁸U are found in Site A at Gosa. Site B has lower radioactivity, and it is recommended that both sites are suitable for underground water consumption.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, UTM, Skudai, Johor Bahru 81310, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Omeje
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Maxwell
authors.forename: Husin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wagiran
authors.forename: Noorddin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.forename: Siak Kuan
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Soheil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sabri
mesh_terms: D001417:Background Radiation; D005857:Germanium; D006801:Humans; D009549:Nigeria; D011197:Potassium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D013051:Spectrometry, Gamma; D013910:Thorium / Q000032:analysis*; D014501:Uranium / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D011197:Potassium Radioisotopes; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive; D005857:Germanium; D014501:Uranium; D013910:Thorium